President Truong Tan Sang joined local people in An Thai Village, An My Commune, Binh Luc district in the northern province of Ha Nam at the annual National Great Solidarity Festival on November 4 marking the founding anniversary of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (Nov. 18, 1930-Nov. 18, 2014).

Talking with the locals, the President said that the VFF has upheld the nation’s noble tradition of unity, gathering people from all walks of life in the fight for national independence and freedom. In the development process of the national revolution, the front has unceasingly been strengthened and expanded to meet the requirements of each period, and has become one of the decisive factors behind the success of the Vietnamese revolution, he said.

According to President Truong Tan Sang, the campaign “All people unite to build cultural life” launched by the VFF has reaped remarkable outcomes, helping enrich communities’ cultural and spiritual life. Meanwhile, the annual National Great Solidarity Festival has created a democratic forum for all people to voice their opinions.

The President emphasized that the VFF should work as a bridge to convey public opinions to Party and State agencies, and at the same time coordinate with its member organisations and the authorities to well carry out its monitoring and social criticism functions.

One of six villages in An My Commune, An Thai village with population of 2,170 has become a model in the drive “All people unite to build cultural life” as well as the campaign on building new style rural areas. Nearly 80 percent of local households have met the criteria to be recognised as a “cultural family”. During 2013-14, the village has completed the rearrangement of rice fields to create large-scale fields, paving the way to the application of scientific and technical advances, thus raising the average rice yield to 13.5 tonnes per ha and annual per capita income to 25.2 million VND (1,200 USD).

The local community said they will continue with the “All people unite to build cultural life” campaign and took the occasion to ask for State help in building infrastructure and the irrigation system.-VNA