Spreading gratitude activities, contributing to easing the pain of war

On the sidelines of the Press Meeting to inform about the Association's activities towards the 4th Congress for the 2025-2030 term (taking place on October 8 in Hanoi ), Hanoi Moi Newspaper reporters had an interview with Lieutenant General Hoang Khanh Hung - Chairman of the Vietnam Association for Supporting Families of Martyrs about the innovations in the Association's activities, continuing to affirm that the Association is the "extended arm" of the Party and State in the work of honoring martyrs.

Lieutenant General Hoang Khanh Hung - Chairman of the Vietnam Association for Supporting Families of Martyrs. Photo: Mai Hoa

- Lieutenant General, can you share about the outstanding results in the work of honoring martyrs that the Association has carried out in recent times?

- 2025 is a special year for our Association - marking 15 years of establishment and growth, and preparing for the 4th National Congress of the Association. In that context, the entire Association system continues to wholeheartedly carry out its sacred mission: Paying tribute to those who have fallen for the Fatherland.

As of October 8, through the 2707 Martyrs' Gratitude Charity Account - Military Commercial Joint Stock Bank, we have mobilized more than 2.2 billion VND for the gratitude work. Notably, the Veterans Association of Dong Nai province alone has supported the martyrs' gratitude work to each member, transferring to account 2707 with a total amount of more than 432.5 million VND. If the remaining 33 Veterans Associations of the provinces and cities all carry out activities to support the martyrs' gratitude work to each member, we will certainly have a huge resource to carry out the martyrs' gratitude work according to the motto "real people, real work, on-site support, enthusiasm, affection, efficiency".

Our Association has many ways to mobilize resources, and over the past 15 years, the Association and its branches have mobilized over 170 billion VND in social resources to honor martyrs. This is the second time the Association has implemented this form of mobilizing resources to honor martyrs through Charity Account 2707. In the first time in 2024, Charity Account 2707 mobilized 1.8 billion VND - this resource has helped the Association implement many meaningful programs: giving thousands of gifts to Vietnamese Heroic Mothers, relatives of martyrs, and families with difficult policies in localities such as Hanoi, Nghe An, Quang Tri, Cao Bang , Thai Nguyen...; supporting cases of moving martyrs' remains back to their homeland; giving gratitude houses and many gifts on major holidays such as July 27, the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution, National Day September 2...

- Along with the gratitude activities, the organization and development of the Association also has many innovations. Can you share more about this content?

- That's right. Besides paying tribute to martyrs, the Association pays great attention to the work of perfecting and developing the organization so that its activities can be more systematic and spread more widely.

Currently, we are merging and renaming some provincial-level Associations to suit the actual situation. In particular, in Hung Yen, for the first time, the Association for Supporting Families of Vietnamese Martyrs was established, but 100% of them are children and relatives of martyrs' families, launched on October 7, 2025. From now until the term Congress (after merging Thai Binh into Hung Yen), we strive to have 10 to 12 new associations (of the old Hung Yen), bringing the total number of affiliated associations to 16-17...

In Quang Ninh, after being approved by the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial People's Committee, the Quang Ninh Province Association for Supporting Families of Martyrs is expected to be established on October 13, gathering 70 members.

Ho Chi Minh City, after merging with Ba Ria - Vung Tau and Binh Duong, will hold its first term Congress on October 16, combining gratitude to 20 Vietnamese Heroic Mothers and relatives of martyrs, and giving gifts to some seriously wounded soldiers in the area...

Welcoming the remains of martyrs back to their homeland in the warm embrace of comrades and relatives. Photo: Mai Hoa

Regarding international cooperation, what outstanding activities has the Association carried out in recent times?

- Foreign affairs are an important highlight. We maintain cooperation with the University of Georgia (USA), the United States Institute of Peace and domestic professional units to apply science and technology in searching and identifying martyrs' remains.

The Association is currently coordinating a survey of the Da Nang area, where the US side provided information about the mass graves of Vietnamese soldiers, and it is expected that this October, we will complete procedures to continue the survey at Loc Ninh airport (Dong Nai). We are also promoting the acquisition of radar technology to search for martyrs' remains - an important step forward in using modern technology to serve the work of gratitude and searching for martyrs' remains.

In addition, many individuals and outstanding members have demonstrated a spirit of volunteerism that is worthy of respect. For example, Mr. Nguyen Thu Binh (Van Lam, Hung Yen) voluntarily bought a specialized vehicle from the Red Cross to move the remains of martyrs. Recently, he has transported the remains of martyrs from Gia Lai and Vinh Long to Hanoi. In Ho Chi Minh City, members also contributed money to buy specialized vehicles, support relatives of martyrs to travel and stay when collecting and moving remains - helping to reduce costs and create favorable conditions for families...

- Could you share more about the preparations for the 4th National Congress of the Association?

- The 4th Congress, term 2025-2030 of the Association is expected to take place in early December 2025. We are urgently completing the political report, personnel plan, charter amendments, action plans, as well as material conditions to submit to the Ministry of Home Affairs for approval. In the context that our country still has 34 provinces and cities, and the implementation of the 2-level local government model, the relationship between the Vietnam Association for Supporting Families of Martyrs and the Association for Supporting Families of Martyrs of localities needs to be even closer and more standardized. Because according to Article 17, Decree No. 126/2024/ND-CP dated October 8, 2024 of the Government on the organization, operation and management of Associations, the members of the Association include official members, associate members and honorary members as prescribed in the Association's charter. In which, official members are organizations and Vietnamese citizens who agree with the association's charter and voluntarily register to join the association.

Article 9 of the Charter of the Vietnam Association for Supporting Families of Martyrs stipulates the obligations of members, requiring members to strictly comply with the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's laws and policies; and comply with the Charter and regulations of the Association. In other words, all organizations and individuals who are main or associate members must comply with the Charter of the Vietnam Association for Supporting Families of Martyrs and the direction and guidance of the Executive Committee, Standing Committee, and Standing Committee of the Vietnam Association for Supporting Families of Martyrs.

Presenting symbolic plaques to charity houses and gifts to martyrs' relatives. Photo: Mai Hoa

Before the Congress, the Association will continue to promote gratitude activities, especially correcting information on martyrs' tombstones, DNA testing, supporting the movement of remains and giving gifts to families of martyrs in difficult circumstances.

We believe that when every citizen and every member joins hands, "eating at home and doing good deeds", the work of honoring martyrs will become more and more profound, substantial and spread strongly. The Vietnam Association for Supporting Families of Martyrs always aims to return the names of martyrs, bring comfort to relatives and families of policy beneficiaries, so that the work of honoring is not only a responsibility, but also a journey of the heart.

- Thank you, Lieutenant General, for the interview!

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/lan-toa-cac-hoat-dong-tri-an-gop-phan-xoa-dieu-noi-dau-chien-tranh-718873.html