Awaken the spirit of commitment and dedication.
On a sweltering early summer day, the Co Noi Crossroads Historical Site in Mai Son commune welcomed a special group of visitors. These were young volunteers from Mai Son commune's high schools, along with former youth volunteers, who came to offer incense at the memorial and attend the inauguration, handover, and acceptance ceremony of the Co Noi Crossroads Historical Site, organized by the Central Youth Union in coordination with Son La province. With slow steps and firm handshakes, the young volunteers guided the former youth volunteers up each step of the staircase...
Amidst the fragrant incense smoke, beside the Monument to the Youth Volunteers in the mountains of Son La, countless stories from the war—about bombing raids, about the sacrifices of more than 100 youth volunteers who fell on this land—are recounted by former youth volunteers with emotion and pride.
Without textbooks or dry political education sessions, revolutionary ideals, faith in the Party, and pride in the traditions of our forefathers are being conveyed through practical, vivid, and emotionally charged lessons. Lo Manh Cuong, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Youth Union, shared: Son La is a mountainous province with a large and fragmented territory. Over 83% of the population are ethnic minorities, and it shares a long border with Laos . The level of education is uneven, and the lives of the people are still difficult and lacking. Therefore, political and ideological education for Youth Union members is constantly being innovated, made more practical, and adapted to the conditions of each locality.
The priority is to put practicality into practice to instill ideals deeply into the minds of every young person and create conditions and opportunities for youth union members to learn and contribute. This is how the Youth Union's work and youth movement can overcome obstacles and difficulties to strengthen unity, gather, and attract young people.
Through thematic activities, seminars, talks with historical witnesses; traditional education , and the initiation of Young Pioneers and Youth Union members at historical sites, national pride has been awakened, naturally permeating each young person, inspiring them to strive harder in their studies and self-improvement.
The Youth Union, acting as a solid "support system" for young people, is always given attention and strengthened down to the grassroots level, connecting young people. Young people in villages, especially in border areas, are given opportunities to participate in common activities, entrusted with tasks, helping them to recognize their responsibilities, and develop their role in the community. This enables them to live with resilience and determination, becoming "immune" to distorted narratives and loyal to the Party's goals.
With perseverance and dedication, the Youth Union organization is being strengthened, with the youth mobilization rate reaching 70.8% by the end of 2025. Youth Union members studying and working in all fields are connected, sharing information, and forming a vast network with one Youth Union and Youth Affairs Committee under the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of the province; 75 commune-level Youth Union organizations; and 4 affiliated Youth Union units with over 74,000 members. Young people working far from home also maintain close contact with the Youth Union organization in their hometowns and are ready to contribute to their homeland.
These "blue-uniformed soldiers" continue to write the song of dedication.
If political education is the "foundation" for cultivating character, then youth union movements are the practical environment for the youth of Son La to train and mature. In recent years, the new rural development movement has become a story in every village in Son La. The image of young union members carrying bags of cement and hauling boulders up steep slopes to build rural roads in particularly difficult areas is no longer unfamiliar.
Over the past three years, the "Son La Youth Joining Hands to Build New Rural Areas" movement has mobilized tens of thousands of young people to participate, implementing 6,162 projects and tasks; repairing and building 3,515 km of rural roads, 1,687 km of canals, 12 social bridges, 26 cultural houses, jointly eliminating 533 temporary houses, building over 80 new incinerators... maintaining 245 civilized roads and residential areas, 110 youth volunteer teams, and 30 clubs promoting civilized lifestyles...
The Youth Union of Phiêng Pằn border commune is growing stronger, with 743 members operating in 54 branches. Giàng A Lạnh, Secretary of the Youth Union, said: "The youth of this border commune are proud to contribute their youthful energy to building new rural areas and community activities with 12 youth projects and tasks such as road construction, building self-managed roads, planting trees... In the first six months of 2026, the Youth Union also mobilized over 400 young people to contribute labor days to level land, expand the road in Kết Hay village, support the elimination of temporary housing, and clean up the environment..."
A significant mark left by the youth in recent years is the "Lighting Up the Villages" campaign. Through the collective efforts and strong support of sponsoring organizations, 35 projects have been built, bringing electricity to even the most remote villages every night. "Now that we have streetlights, the villagers are so happy. Children have a place to play, they don't have to worry about falling when walking around at night, and security and order are ensured. Thank you so much to the youth!" said Mrs. Sa Thi E, from Chieng Nua village, Xuan Nha commune, emotionally when the "Lighting Up the Villages" project, built and inaugurated by the Provincial Youth Union in coordination with sponsoring organizations, was completed.
The youth of Son La province have also made their mark with the "literacy eradication" campaign by young teachers and border guards; activities supporting poor children in mountainous areas to attend school; and young doctors' clubs traveling to the most remote villages to provide free medical examinations, treatment, and medicine to the people; and actively donating blood to save lives. Many projects such as "Beautiful Schools for Children," community cultural centers for ethnic minorities, and "Red Scarf" houses have been built and inaugurated by the Provincial Youth Union in coordination with and through the mobilization of social resources, bringing joy and practical value to disadvantaged schools, mountainous villages, and children. Especially in the past three years, whenever natural disasters, storms, and floods occurred, the youth in their green uniforms were always present in a timely manner. The entire province mobilized 5,780 young people to participate in flood relief efforts. In 2025 alone, support was provided to 237 households, 12 roads were cleared, 27 houses were rebuilt, and hundreds of gifts and essential supplies were distributed to help people in disaster-stricken areas stabilize their lives.
Through perseverance and innovative efforts, the Youth Union is creating strong connections, bridging the gap between youth members from urban to rural areas, from students to officials, civil servants, and members of the armed forces and businesses. All of this is creating a vibrant picture of volunteerism, affirming the resilience of young people in the mountainous region of Son La, continuing the song of dedication, and igniting the light of confidence, courage, and striving for a bright future.
(to be continued)
Source: https://baosonla.vn/xa-hoi/gieo-khat-vong-xay-tuong-lai-fcVa0ZBvR.html
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