Realizing the mission of youth in the new era

The 9th National Congress of the Vietnam Youth Union , term 2024 - 2029, was a great success, becoming a festival of tens of millions of patriotic youths.

Photo caption — General Secretary To Lam delivers a speech directing the 9th Congress of the Vietnam Youth Union. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA

With the slogan of action: "Vietnamese Youth: Patriotism - Aspiration - Solidarity - Pioneering - Creativity - Confidently entering the new era", in the new term, the Vietnam Youth Union continues its role of leading, uniting, and gathering all classes of youth, so that each youth not only loves the Fatherland from the heart but also acts strongly, full of aspiration and national pride. The Union determines that youth solidarity is not only a task but also a foundation to arouse internal strength, aspiration to reach far, create collective strength, together bring the country forward quickly and sustainably, confidently entering the new era - the era of the Vietnamese nation's rise. "Prioritize action, talk less, do more" In his speech at the Congress, General Secretary To Lam emphasized a number of requirements for youth in the era of the nation's rise. The General Secretary pointed out that many breakthrough tasks in building the country in the new era such as innovation, digital transformation, strategic technology... with the strength of the youth. Besides, the task of building socialism is difficult, long-term and complicated. Meanwhile, the future of communism belongs to the youth, the youth is the vanguard force, leading the way in building a prosperous, strong, democratic, equitable and civilized Vietnam. “The requirements and tasks for youth in the new revolutionary period are very glorious, more than ever, youth need to clearly demonstrate their role in all activities of social life, need to be clearly aware of their responsibilities and tasks, must be the leading force in studying and training, constantly strive to master science and technology, be steadfast, determined, united, must do what is worth doing, prioritize action, say less and do more, be proactive, decisive, grasp and seize opportunities, absolutely not be arrogant or complacent”, the General Secretary requested. Youth need to absorb and implement President Ho Chi Minh's advice: "Because youth are the pioneers in economic and cultural development, in the cause of building socialism... Because youth are the basic force in the army, police and militia... Because in all work, youth compete to implement the slogan: "Where there is need, youth is there; "What is difficult for the youth to do"; "The task of the youth is not to ask what the country has given them. But to ask themselves what they have done for the country? How can they benefit the country more? How much have we sacrificed and strived for the benefit of the country? In addition, the General Secretary noted the need to strongly innovate the work of associations and youth unions; build a strong contingent of association and youth union officials; clearly define the responsibilities and tasks of the Association, its collective member organizations, and the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union in educating revolutionary ideals, preventing and combating moral degradation, lifestyle, crime, and social evils among youth, pupils, and students. Innovate the Association's methods of accompanying, supporting, and approaching, ensuring close association with youth; gather and unite Vietnamese youth at home and abroad, including in the online environment, to effectively implement the Party's policies and the State's laws. The Association needs to take the lead in creating revolutionary movements of youth in implementing the Party's strategic policies on preventing and combating waste, digital transformation, combating environmental pollution, and streamlining the political system's apparatus to be streamlined, strong, and effective. capacity, effectiveness, efficiency. Political and ideological education for youth needs to ensure close and wide access to diverse youth groups; strongly shift from passive "giving and receiving" knowledge to proactively so that young people can promote their creative role, placing youth at the center; create playgrounds and forums for youth to be the designers and participants in activities... "I love my Fatherland" is the foundation for young people to join hands in building a developed Vietnam

According to the President of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Youth Union Nguyen Tuong Lam, the 9th Congress of the Union has set the following goals: Building a generation of Vietnamese youth with revolutionary ideals, patriotism, national pride, self-reliance, aspiration to contribute, and a high sense of responsibility towards the Fatherland. Expanding the solidarity front, gathering all classes of Vietnamese youth. Creating an environment and conditions for studying, training, working, and entertaining so that young people can develop healthily, comprehensively, and harmoniously in terms of intelligence, physical strength, and aesthetics. Nurturing and promoting young people with sufficient qualities and capacity to perform the tasks of being proactive, volunteering, pioneering, creative, and confidently entering the new era of building a socialist Vietnam, a rich people, a strong country, a democratic, fair, and civilized society, on par with the world powers. Consolidating and developing the Union organization to be strong in ideology, politics , and solidarity and unity in organization and action. To specify the goals and requirements for the tasks of youth in the new era, the Vietnam Youth Union continues to implement the movement "I love my Fatherland", the program "Building a strong Vietnam Youth Union", with a system of 10 key targets. Two projects identified during the term are: Project "Youth participating in preserving and promoting the cultural identity of the Vietnamese nation in the period 2024 - 2029" and Project "Solidarity, gathering young workers and young laborers in the period 2024 - 2029". Accordingly, during the term, strive for 100% of cadres to be thoroughly informed and studied, and 80% of members and youth to be propagandized and disseminated about the resolutions of the Party, the Youth Union and the Association, to be provided with information on policies and laws, and to be equipped with knowledge about national defense and security. Every year, 100% of the Vietnam Youth Unions in provinces and cities have at least two activities participating in preserving and promoting national cultural identity.

Promoting the results of the 8th Congress term, in the period of 2024 - 2029, the Association strives to support the connection of 5,000 innovative start-up projects of young people with businesses, venture capital funds or receive investment support from appropriate funding sources; 10 million young people receive career counseling and guidance, of which 4 million young people are introduced to jobs. Overcoming the shortcomings in the period of 2019 - 2024, when some activities and movements at the grassroots level of many localities are still formal, not keeping up with the trends, needs and tastes of young people; on-site volunteer activities are sometimes ineffective in some places..., in the term of the 9th Congress, the Association sets the target: Every year, 100% of the Vietnam Youth Union at the commune level organize activities to improve digital capacity; use online public services, use electronic payment accounts. 50 million members and young people participated in volunteer activities organized by the Association at all levels. 3 million children, people in difficult circumstances, families with preferential policies, war invalids, and people with meritorious services to the revolution received free health care and chronic disease screening. 5 million young people participated in activities to support the improvement of foreign language skills and international integration. At the same time, strive to have 100% of provincial-level Vietnam Youth Unions have at least one training camp for grassroots Association officials each year; nationwide, at least 800 Association officials at all levels participated in training at the Nguyen Chi Thanh Training Camp, of which at least 500 officials were recognized as Central Level I trainers. In addition, the Association developed 3 million new members; established 5,000 new Association organizations in non-state enterprises, industrial parks, export processing zones, boarding houses, apartment buildings, and new urban areas.

In the journey of promoting the youth's strength to build the country, through the movement "I love my Fatherland", the Vietnam Youth Union will continue to accompany, nurture and promote young people with enough qualities and capacity to carry out the tasks of being proactive, volunteer, pioneering, creative, and confidently entering the new era. At the same time, through the program "Building a strong Youth Union organization", the Union will gather, call upon, and strongly arouse in every Vietnamese youth patriotism and national pride, connecting tens of millions of young hearts together to create the strength of solidarity, creativity, pioneering, and leading the charge in the cause of building and defending the Fatherland. The youth and the whole country are approaching an important historical milestone, the final stage of the Vietnamese revolution to achieve the 100-year strategic goal under the leadership of the Party, creating a solid premise to achieve the goal of 100 years of founding the country. This is not only an opportunity to review the glorious feats of arms, but also a time for Vietnamese youth to be more aware of their responsibilities and missions in the new era - an era in which our nation is strongly striving on the path of development, integration, and affirming its position in the international arena. In that context, solidarity among youth classes is a key factor, determining the country's success in promoting the nation's potential and strength. Vietnamese youth not only love the Fatherland through words but also express that love through concrete, creative and pioneering actions in all fields. Unity for the goal of "I love my Fatherland" is the strength and foundation for each youth to confidently step into the future, joining hands to build a strong, prosperous, and sustainably developed Vietnam.