On July 24, General Secretary To Lam met with people with merit and typical historical witnesses. Photo: VNA

The slower, the more guilty we are towards the people and the martyrs.

“Forever grateful to the great President Ho Chi Minh . Forever grateful to the heroic martyrs who sacrificed for the eternal Fatherland”, are the meaningful and heartfelt words of gratitude that General Secretary To Lam respectfully wrote in the Book of Traditions at the Vi Xuyen National Martyrs Cemetery on February 5, 2025. It is a call, a reminder and a compass for the journey to the future of the Vietnamese people. In those two short sentences, there is history, blood and tears, and the gratitude of posterity for many generations who sacrificed for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland.

The gratitude of the head of the Party and State is a journey filled with emotions, spanning many sacred lands of the Fatherland. On October 15, 2024, in Quang Tri, the General Secretary offered incense at the Citadel, visited the national martyrs' cemeteries of Route 9 and Truong Son. On February 5, 2025, he was again in Ha Giang , respectfully commemorating the sons who fell in Vi Xuyen for independence and territorial integrity. On April 21, 2025, in Ho Chi Minh City, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification, General Secretary To Lam was moved to meet with generals, heroes of the People's Armed Forces, volunteer youth (TNXP), and Saigon commandos, who are living witnesses of the legendary Ho Chi Minh Campaign.

Here, the General Secretary said that the Government has issued a new decree, with a spirit of determination in the work of finding the identities of the martyrs. The Ministry of Public Security with Project 06 has also actively taken genetic samples and identified the DNA of the martyrs' relatives. The General Secretary affirmed: "This work cannot be delayed any longer, it has been 50 years... the longer it takes, the more guilty we are towards the people and the martyrs." Half a century has passed since the war ended, but the unfinished repatriation of tens of thousands of martyrs' remains has not been completed. There are nameless graves, there are mothers and wives who have closed their eyes without knowing where their husbands and children are. The General Secretary's words are the urging of the conscience of a Party leader, who takes responsibility before the sacred spirit of the country and before the unfulfilled wishes of the people.

Previously, General Secretary To Lam reminded us of a painful reality: “The country is at peace, the mountains and rivers are united, the border has also quieted, but there is still a burning desire to bring the loyal and filial sons who heroically sacrificed their lives back to their homeland, to reunite with their families”. The General Secretary opened up a vast space of contemplation through the “burning desire” about the memories of war, the nature of peace and the reason for living of those who are responsible for continuing the history of the country. Peace is when the wounds of war are healed, when the living fulfill their responsibilities, duties and acts of kindness to the deceased.

In addition to expressing gratitude, the General Secretary also set specific action goals: “100% of meritorious people must have a standard of living above average compared to the population in the same area; the disadvantaged, remote areas, and islands must be given priority in supporting sustainable poverty reduction”. The General Secretary repeatedly highlighted the exemplary and pioneering role of war veterans in the country’s development, educating patriotism and the will to rise up for the younger generation. At the meeting with war veterans and former Youth Volunteers on April 9, 2025 in Hanoi, the General Secretary shared: “The war has long gone, but the noble qualities of Uncle Ho’s soldiers, of the Youth Volunteers, and the militia and self-defense forces of the past still shine in today’s life”. He praised the spirit of “determination to fight and win”, “speed and boldness” that has been embodied in every daily action, contributing to building a strong country from simple things. General Secretary To Lam delivered an emotional and profound speech at the 7th Patriotic Emulation Congress and the ceremony to receive the First Class Labor Medal from the Vietnam Veterans Association on December 4, 2024: "Comrades are always shining examples of educating patriotism and revolutionary heroism, of the will and determination to strive for success for today's young generation to follow."

General Secretary To Lam and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh present gifts to people with meritorious services and outstanding historical witnesses. Photo: VNA

People with revolutionary contributions are valuable assets of the nation.

In the wave of startups and local economic development, there are many successful CCB entrepreneurs. They bring their discipline, perseverance, integrity and sense of responsibility from the old battlefield to today's business world. They enrich themselves, help their comrades, create jobs for people, contribute to the local budget, support those in difficult circumstances... But above all, they are shining examples in an era when the younger generation is easily sucked into the vortex of materialism, easily losing their way, it is the CCB with their life stories, with the spirit of self-reliance and resilience who have lit the guiding light. They are present as a living personality that awakens in the hearts of young people a passionate patriotism, deep gratitude and the desire to live a useful life, a life dedicated to the community, to the country.

Remember, on July 22, 2024, General Secretary To Lam had a friendly meeting with the delegation of exemplary revolutionary contributors. In front of the white hair and bodies still bearing the scars of war, the General Secretary expressed his deep gratitude and affirmed that the Party and State will continue to accompany those who have sacrificed and silently contributed, so that no one is left behind in the journey of innovation and development of the country. He praised the spirit: "With the will of self-reliance and self-reliance, many war invalids, sick soldiers, relatives of martyrs and people with meritorious services have overcome injuries and hardships, continued to integrate into life, and are bright torches in work, study and combat". Those people are living symbols of Vietnamese mettle and belief, and are spiritual support for the younger generation to follow.

On July 15, 2025, General Secretary To Lam and the Central Working Delegation visited and presented gifts to wounded and sick soldiers at Thuan Thanh War Invalids Nursing Center (Ninh Xa Ward, Bac Ninh Province). Here, the General Secretary emphasized that our Party, State and People have always been consistent in the view: "People with meritorious services to the revolution are precious assets of the nation, sacred symbols of patriotism and Vietnamese morality". General Secretary To Lam called those with meritorious services "precious assets", placing those with meritorious services in an irreplaceable position in the memory and future of the country. Those with meritorious services to the revolution are martyrs, wounded and sick soldiers, Vietnamese Heroic Mothers, Youth Volunteers, and resistance cadres, who are the core of Vietnam's strength. They are witnesses of history, living symbols of patriotism and national morality. Without the sacrifices of previous generations, without the years of steadfast resistance, we would not have a unified, independent Vietnam that is gradually rising strongly like today. Previous generations of fathers and grandfathers with dignity tested in hardship, trained in fire and bullets, and preserved throughout their lives after the war, by continuing to contribute, by the spirit of self-reliance, self-strengthening, living beautifully and living exemplary. Therefore, the work of "Repaying gratitude", "When drinking water, remember its source" is a major policy, a "command from the heart, a political responsibility, a morality of the entire political system and the whole society". The national moral standard of being grateful to those who have gone before is the best way to teach those who come after.

On the occasion of the 78th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs Day (July 27, 1947 - July 27, 2025), General Secretary To Lam wrote an article titled "When drinking water, remember its source". In the article, the General Secretary affirmed: We could not have today, could not have a renewed, developed, and deeply integrated Vietnam without the sweat, blood and bones of many generations of revolutionary soldiers, soldiers, youth volunteers, frontline laborers, mothers and fathers who were ready to encourage their children to go to battle and take the hardships, hardships, and losses for themselves with the spirit of "determination to die for the country, determination to live", "all for the frontline". Together with their fathers and grandfathers, more than 1.2 million martyrs, 9.2 million people with meritorious services to the revolution and relatives of meritorious services nationwide today, all of them are the immortal souls of the nation, the most beautiful symbols of Vietnamese revolutionary heroism...


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Source: https://huengaynay.vn/chinh-tri-xa-hoi/tong-bi-thu-to-lam-mot-tam-long-tri-an-va-hanh-dong-156079.html