Today, although transportation routes still don't fully meet demand, they are densely interconnected like the bloodstream of the city. Within this vast space, the city's inhabitants have created a vibrant and ceaseless rhythm of life, weaving together stories of warmth, kindness, simplicity, and profound affection.
From "new land" to "open-minded and compassionate Saigon people"
From its early beginnings to the present day, Ho Chi Minh City has always been an "open land." Groups of migrants from all over the country have come here during various historical periods. They brought with them their lifestyles, customs, and beliefs from their homelands, along with the anxieties of making a living and the aspirations of establishing a career. From these footsteps, from these long journeys, generations of people have emerged who share a special quality: the courage to travel and broaden their horizons, the willingness to do new things, the ability to reconcile differences, and the readiness to share business opportunities with one another. Saigon - Gia Dinh - Ho Chi Minh City has become a "land where birds perch."
For over 300 years, Ho Chi Minh City has ceased to be a "new land." The process of reclamation transformed barren land into bustling villages, vibrant streets, and busy river ports. The city was formed from this. Groups of Vietnamese, Chinese, and other communities migrated together to build streets, markets, factories, schools, hospitals, ports, and warehouses. Countless people have shed sweat, blood, and tears to build the city, while simultaneously passing on the spirit of openness, creativity, and tolerance of its people.
That is "Ho Chi Minh City's most valuable asset." That asset lies in the "Saigon people"—dynamic, daring to think new things, daring to do different things, daring to overcome barriers of prejudice and conservatism; always striving for efficiency in "business dealings" with a practical mindset while still maintaining integrity and compassion.
Saigon - Ho Chi Minh City people don't discriminate based on origin but value conduct. No matter where someone comes from, whether rich or poor, as long as they live decently, behave honestly, and show compassion, they automatically become "Saigon - Ho Chi Minh City people." Compassion means always helping each other in times of need; anyone facing difficulties receives some form of support. From free iced tea on the roadside to 2,000 dong meals, or "suspended meals" in restaurants for the needy; or whenever the Central and Northern regions are hit by storms and floods, the entire city contributes its efforts and resources for urgent relief. During the Covid-19 pandemic, thousands of charitable kitchens sprang up, hundreds of initiatives emerged to help the sick and support medical staff; people shared everything from bundles of vegetables and rice to oxygen tanks... "Saigon's boundless compassion" is a tradition nurtured over hundreds of years on this land.
Today, the fast-paced and somewhat chaotic modern life sometimes makes many people worry that these values are fading. But whenever the city faces challenges – such as the recent devastating pandemic – the people of Ho Chi Minh City prove that they are still the most valuable asset, the strength that helps the city stand firm and revive. Not only through compassion, but also through organizational capacity, volunteer spirit, and creativity in action.
Dynamic and creative - the people of Ho Chi Minh City embody the identity of the new era.
If "compassion and loyalty" are the firm foundation, then "dynamism and creativity" are the skillful hands of the people of Ho Chi Minh City. Throughout its more than 300 years of formation, Ho Chi Minh City has never stopped transforming. From the ancient Ben Nghe trading port to the smart city of today, the city has always been the "cradle" of innovation in all fields, from economics to culture and society. The people of Ho Chi Minh City are not afraid of change. They can simultaneously sell goods on the street and livestream; be farmers while becoming small-scale inventors; and naturally embrace new lifestyles while preserving old customs.
In reality, with flexibility and the courage to "dare to do, dare to take responsibility," the city's journey of innovation began with a "can-do" mindset. Therefore, "developing Ho Chi Minh City into a regional economic, cultural, and creative center" lies not only in infrastructure projects or high-tech zones, but first and foremost in nurturing generations of residents who possess the positive characteristics of Ho Chi Minh City: knowledgeable, with a strong sense of community, and capable of integration without losing their identity.
Amidst the rapid pace of modernization and urbanization, Ho Chi Minh City faces numerous challenges: the erosion of heritage, the loss of green spaces and public areas, traffic congestion, flooding, and widening wealth inequality. But even more worrying is the risk of losing the "Saigon people," as a pragmatic and ruthlessly competitive lifestyle becomes the "lesson of wealth creation," as money becomes the "measure" of human value, and as suspicion and prejudice diminish integrity and tolerance... These are signs of the decline in the positive values that have been the foundation of this city's development.
Looking back over more than three centuries, it's clear that despite all the upheavals, from war to peace , from crisis to recovery, the people of Saigon - Ho Chi Minh City have always been the decisive factor. It is they who have transformed this city into one of the most dynamic in the country; it is they who have turned difficulties into opportunities, and challenges into motivation to move forward. Whenever people talk about Ho Chi Minh City, the first thing that comes to mind is its people, those who have achieved everything with a spirit that is both resolute and open-minded, practical yet compassionate, strong-willed yet tolerant.
People's consensus shapes the city's future.
After the merger, Ho Chi Minh City has approximately 14 million inhabitants. In the closing session of the first Ho Chi Minh City Party Congress (2025-2030), Comrade Tran Luu Quang, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, stated: "The people of Ho Chi Minh City are the city's invaluable resource." Immediately afterwards, this attention to "human resources" was concretized through policies directly related to the lives of the people and the future of the city.
The Standing Committee of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee has agreed on the principle of halting the commercial real estate project in the Ben Nha Rong area to redevelop it into a park, combined with the expansion of Nguyen Tat Thanh Street and the development of public services, creating a riverside cultural living space, connecting with the city center. Similarly, the land plot at No. 1 Ly Thai To Street (formerly the Government Guest House) will be renovated into a multi-functional park, where a monument commemorating the people of Ho Chi Minh City who died from the Covid-19 pandemic will be erected, increasing green space, reducing traffic pressure, and creating a cultural highlight in the heart of the city.
The decision to preserve two iconic urban landscapes, steeped in the memories of Ho Chi Minh City residents, is an expression of respect for the people who have contributed to the city's survival and development. Ho Chi Minh City is "civilized, modern, and compassionate," and "compassion" is a defining characteristic of its people, representing the depth of its history and culture. Without this unique identity, modernity and civilization would be nothing more than the shell of a soulless city.
People – the most valuable asset of Ho Chi Minh City – must always be at the center of all policies, the standard of leadership style, and the measure of urban governance effectiveness. When the people and culture of Ho Chi Minh City are understood and appreciated, the city's tradition of innovation, pioneering spirit, and breakthroughs will be maintained and strongly promoted, and Ho Chi Minh City will develop harmoniously and sustainably. Because, as urban social researchers have stated: "It is not the roads, not the high-rise buildings, but the people who are the soul of a city."
Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/von-quy-nhat-cua-tphcm-post838048.html
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