The 'keepers of the flame' in the village

Through concrete actions, the respected community leaders of Quang Ninh province serve as shining examples in actively mobilizing and educating their descendants and the community to participate in protecting and promoting national cultural values; encouraging people to build a new way of life, and to build culturally advanced families and villages…

Mr. Dang Ngoc Phu's model of growing bamboo for shoots has brought income to the people of Bac Son commune (Mong Cai city, Quang Ninh province).

In Ngan Vang Duoi village, Dong Tam commune, Binh Lieu district, due to unclear land and forest allocation from many years ago, and difficulty in defining boundary areas, many disputes and encroachments on forest land by local households have occurred.

Whenever a dispute arises in the village, Mr. Be Sinh Nghiep is always the first to step forward to resolve it. Ngan Vang Duoi village has 44 households, mainly inhabited by the Tay and San Chi ethnic groups. For over 10 years, Mr. Be Sinh Nghiep has successfully mediated and resolved many complex cases. He has regularly collaborated with the authorities to disseminate regulations on forest management, protection, exploitation, and production of forest land through various means to raise awareness among the local people.

Mr. Nong Van Son, Vice Chairman of the Dong Tam Commune People's Committee, said: "Mr. Be Sinh Nghiep was a pioneer, mobilizing his family and fellow villagers in the work of planting and developing forests. He also established a cooperative for planting anise with several households to build an operating fund for the village. He is a reputable person in participating in resolving minor disputes among the people, from calling, meeting, understanding, and persuading people to reconcile and build solidarity within families and villages."

With the belief that protecting the border and boundary markers is also protecting the land of his ancestors, for over 40 years, Mr. Dang Ngoc Phu (67 years old, a member of the Dao Thanh Y ethnic group, Pec Na village, Bac Son commune) has diligently planted bamboo along the border riverbank. As a respected figure, Mr. Phu understands better than anyone the importance of protecting national sovereignty and border security. For him, planting bamboo is a practical thing he can do.

From the border riverbank to the land in his garden, wherever Mr. Phu could find space, he would plant bamboo or encourage his children and neighbors to plant it.

Besides planting bamboo to protect the land, over the years, Mr. Phu has always participated in eradicating outdated customs and practices, and building a civilized way of life. Using his experience, Mr. Phu has become a bridge, actively promoting and building a strong national unity to protect the border region. “It is these outdated customs that have made life even more difficult for the people. Our villagers are now gradually understanding and are determined to eliminate these backward practices,” Mr. Phu said.

Mr. Luc Thanh Chung, Head of the Ethnic Affairs Committee of Quang Ninh province, said: In 2024, the entire province had 391 influential individuals. To build a team of influential individuals in ethnic minority areas, the Provincial Ethnic Affairs Committee proactively coordinated with relevant agencies and departments, and the People's Committees of localities to promptly implement policies and regulations for this group. At the same time, the Provincial Ethnic Affairs Committee also advised the Provincial People's Committee to recognize the list of 7 influential individuals honored at the second "Support for Villages" program in 2024.

In 2024 alone, influential individuals in Quang Ninh participated in over 200 instances of providing feedback and making recommendations to local Party committees and authorities to address shortcomings and deficiencies in policy implementation, especially policies on compensation for land clearance and resettlement, land acquisition, land and forest allocation, and support for crops and livestock.

Source: https://daidoanket.vn/nhung-nguoi-giu-lua-o-ban-lang-10298061.html