Flag-raising ceremony of University of Sciences , Hue University in the opening ceremony of the new school year

Many places do not require singing the National Anthem.

The opening ceremony of the new school year 2024-2025 of a university recently had an indispensable ceremony of saluting the national flag and singing the national anthem. When the leader shouted the flag salute, the melody of the national anthem was played immediately after. Observing the hall, not many people sang the national anthem to the melody being played.

In a group of students at the end of the hall, there was a male student standing at attention and singing the National Anthem quite loudly and clearly. Standing about 3 rows away, one could still hear the male student singing, even though the music was quite loud.

Sharing about the situation when singing the National Anthem, the male student did not hide his emotion and said, as a Vietnamese, when singing the National Anthem, I always feel proud. I do not understand why my friends turned to look at me in surprise like that. I have also attended some important events with flag-raising ceremonies and singing the National Anthem, most people did not sing, but just stood at attention waiting for the music to finish and then sat down.

Observing for a while many important activities and events at agencies and units that organize the national flag-raising ceremony and sing the national anthem, the number of people singing the national anthem is very small. Explaining this, the leader of a university that just held the opening ceremony of the new school year said that if there is no music, the singing of the national anthem will be uneven, reducing the solemnity and heroism of the song. Playing music with lyrics has gradually become familiar, so for a long time many students do not, or rarely sing the national anthem.

Mr. Tran Quang Cuom, Head of the Propaganda Department of Phong Dien District Party Committee, said: In all the flag-raising ceremonies at the beginning of the month at agencies and units in the district, the Standing Committee of the District Party Committee thoroughly instructed and requested that only instrumental music of the National Anthem be played and that all cadres, civil servants, and public employees must sing the National Anthem. However, it is true that in some events, most of the National Anthem with lyrics is played and many people only stand to salute the flag, without singing.

Sing from your heart

Salute to the national flag and sing the national anthem is an important ritual, expressing patriotism, political courage, pride and responsibility of the Vietnamese people to the Fatherland and the People. The national anthem is the national soul, the national quintessence, where the national spirit is crystallized through each melody and lyrics. Each time the national anthem is sung, it is a time to awaken national pride, the "string" connecting the past, present and future.

Dr. Nguyen Van Quang, Secretary of the Hue University Youth Union, lecturer at the Faculty of Political Theory, Hue University of Education, said: The Ministry of Education and Training has assessed that currently, in many places, during the national flag-raising ceremony, people do not sing the national anthem, or instead sing by listening to music. That more or less reduces the solemnity and meaning of the national flag-raising ceremony and the singing of the national anthem.

In order for the saluting of the national flag and singing of the national anthem to become a routine, to educate revolutionary ideals, to foster patriotism and national pride in students, the Ministry of Education and Training has issued a document requesting that preschools should encourage teaching the national anthem to preschool children and organizing collective activities with the singing of the national anthem. For general schools, continuing education centers, academies, universities, colleges, vocational colleges and other educational institutions, during the national flag-saluting ceremony, all teachers, lecturers and students sing the national anthem.

Dr. Nguyen Van Quang shared that in the coming time, through the meetings and professional activities of the Youth Union of member schools and affiliated faculties in Hue University, singing the National Anthem during the flag-raising ceremony will be made mandatory. Students are the young generation, so nurturing the spirit of national pride through the flag-raising ceremony and singing the National Anthem is extremely necessary. From there, we can promote the spirit of vanguard of the youth, arouse the desire to contribute...

To make singing the National Anthem a source of pride, deeply rooted in the “heart” of each individual, each educational institution, the Youth Union and Student Association need to promote the purpose and meaning of the national flag-raising ceremony and singing the National Anthem; make the young generation know the glorious past, the history of the song, and the world’s evaluation of the lyrics and melody of the song. Each time singing is a time to affirm “I am Vietnamese”.

Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Propaganda Department Hoang Khanh Hung emphasized that strengthening propaganda is the most important solution to make singing the National Anthem a habit, so that everyone knows it, sings it and is proud to sing it. Through media channels, especially press agencies, strengthen propaganda of places that do well and creative ways; thereby, so that each individual understands and sings the National Anthem. Somehow, singing the National Anthem must come from the "heart".

On May 13, 2024, the Provincial Party Committee's Propaganda Department issued Instruction No. 136-HD/BTGTU on organizing the flag-saluting ceremony at Party agencies, the Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations in the province. It is noted that when saluting the flag, all cadres, party members, civil servants, public employees and workers must stand at attention, facing the national flag, the Party flag and sing the national anthem. Units can play tapes, discs, music files of songs on a unified background music according to regulations, requiring everyone attending the ceremony to sing along.
Article and photos: DUC QUANG