Comrade Ngo Yen Thi, Provincial Party Secretary (first person on the right) accompanied Advisor Vo Van Kiet to visit and work in Thua Thien Hue in November 1999. Photo: Document

Knowing that Mr. Thi has been sick for a long time, his health has somewhat declined, but thanks to his virtuous wife, Lien Hoa, who has diligently and attentively taken care of him, his mind is still clear and lucid.

In the conversation over a cup of coffee, Mr. Thi remembers many memories of his working years, of a time when he was the leader of a province with many difficulties; with many concerns about the challenges to make strategic decisions on the Chan May deep-water seaport project at the foot of Phu Loc pass; about the work of directing the search for the best solution that benefits the people to deal with the consequences of the historic flood in November 1999; about the political determination of the provincial leader to choose the optimal solution for the first national festival of international stature in Vietnam so that many years later Hue would become a typical Festival City brand of the whole country.

That day, although Mr. Thi was not well, he was still passionately discussing the nature of the land of "Hue culture, Hue people" which is very unique and strange. He gently but as if to suggest finding the most reasonable solutions for Hue, a path for Hue to develop sustainably. When Hue is worthy of its status, it must be even more worthy to develop as a center of culture, health, education , technology, heritage of the Central region and the whole country. His voice sometimes whispered, sometimes seemed to explode and determined...

Just like that! And then, early in the morning of November 1, 2025, the rain was still drizzling outside, the street lights were still on, I suddenly heard the phone ring, from the other end of the line, the voice of a journalist from Hue Newspaper, Radio and Television informed: "Brother, comrade Ngo Yen Thi, former member of the Central Party Committee, former Secretary of the Thua Thien Hue Provincial Party Committee, former Head of the Government's Committee for Religious Affairs, has just passed away". I was startled awake.

So after many days of fighting with illness, he breathed his last to return to the world of the good people, at 1:00 a.m. on November 1, 2015 (lunar calendar is September 12, At Ty), at his private home at 32 Nguyen Khuyen Street, Thuan Hoa Ward, Hue City, at the age of 82.

I have known Mr. Ngo Yen Thi since the early 1980s, when he was a member of the Standing Committee of the City Party Committee, Head of the Organizing Committee of the Hue City Party Committee, and then he was elected Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union of Binh Tri Thien province. During those years, the country was still facing many difficulties, hunger and lack of clothing, and the constant threat of natural disasters, storms, floods, and droughts always lurking in Binh Tri Thien. Life was full of difficulties, but Mr. Thi's humanity and comradeship were always filled with love and responsibility for the community.

Mr. Ngo Yen Thi was born in 1944, from Thuy Duong commune, Huong Thuy district - now Thanh Thuy ward, Hue city. In 1965, he left to join the revolution, as an intellectual who grew up from the political struggle movement of Hue city, then went to the war zone to participate in the anti-American war. During his years of revolutionary activities, he made many contributions to the history of struggle, construction and development of the city. From a young and intelligent cadre of the Hue City Party Committee during the national defense war, after years of struggle and training, he became the highest leader in the locality with prestige of the Party, trusted and respected by the people.

Remembering the time when Binh Tri Thien was "both wide and long", he was the Secretary of the Provincial Youth Union for many years and left his mark in the activities of the Youth Union; then he was transferred to be the Chairman of the People's Committee of Hue city, then the Secretary of the Hue City Party Committee, Binh Tri Thien province.

After the re-establishment of the province, he was a member of the Standing Committee of the Thua Thien Hue Provincial Party Committee, holding the position of Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Organization Committee. In February 1994, he was elected Deputy Secretary of the Thua Thien Hue Provincial Party Committee. Then, in December 1994, he was elected Chairman of the Provincial People's Council by the 3rd Provincial People's Council, term 1994 - 1999. In May 1996, he was elected by the 11th Congress of the Thua Thien Hue Provincial Party Committee as Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, term 1996 - 2000. At the 8th National Party Congress, he was elected to the Central Executive Committee.

Mr. Thi served as Secretary of the Thua Thien Hue Provincial Party Committee for a full term full of challenges and difficulties. And, there were policies and decisions of Hue that were decided during his term as Secretary to become reality today. In early 2001, he was appointed by the Central Committee to be Head of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs until his retirement.

For his contributions to the revolutionary cause of the Party and the country, he was awarded the 55-year Party badge, the Second-class Independence Medal and many other noble medals and orders.

Years will pass, time will erase many things. But the image of a Communist, an excellent son, Secretary of the Thua Thien Hue Provincial Party Committee - now the Hue City Party Committee, comrade Ngo Yen Thi with a calm, concise, intelligent, courageous, decisive, concrete, gentle and close-to-the-people demeanor, going back and forth to take care of the people's lives during the flood days caused by the "great flood" in November 1999; struggling to shape a festival city that will never fade in the hearts of the people of Hue!

A respectful incense stick before the spirit of Communist Ngo Yen Thi!

DUONG PHUOC THU

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/chinh-tri-xa-hoi/nho-anh-ngo-yen-thi-nguoi-con-uu-tu-cua-hue-159523.html