The Party and State always give priority to children, especially those living in difficult circumstances, said State President Nguyen Minh Triet.

The State President made this remark while meeting with 55 disadvantaged children from 11 provinces nationwide at the Presidential Palace on May 31 to mark International Children’s Day (June 1).

The State leader praised the children’s indomitable spirit in overcoming disadvantage in their life and recording outstanding academic performances.

In spite of unfavourable conditions, the children will make their dreams come true with great efforts, knowledge and beautiful aspirations, to contribute to the national construction, he said.

President Triet took the occasion to applaud the National Fund for Vietnamese Children (NFVC), which has launched a wide range of activities to support a total of 26 million of disadvantaged children over the past 19 years.

He called on ministries and agencies, especially the NFVC and Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs, businesses and the entire society to step up the protection and attention of children, particularly those living in remote areas, to bring them a stable and better life.

At the meeting, the children, including the disabled and orphans, shared their future dreams with the State leader.

On the occasion, President Triet presented gifts and 3 million VND tp each participant.

On the same day, Deputy Prime Minister Truong Vinh Trong visited and handed over gifts to over 100 disadvantaged children and the elderly in the northern province of Hung Yen.

He urged relevant agencies and localities to take better care of children, the lone elderly and the disabled.

On the occasion, the Department of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs of the central province of Binh Dinh handed over 300 gifts to orphans and disabled children at Dong Tam Social Sponsor Centre and poor children in Tay Son district.

Earlier on May 30, the Hanoi HIV/AIDS Prevention Centre, Youth Theatre and the Municipal HIV/AIDS Prevention Department organised an artistic performance as a special gift for children living with HIV in the capital city on International Children’s Day.

The programme sent a message to create equality for HIV-infected children and those affected by HIV/AIDS, helping them integrate into society, said Le Nhan Tuan, Director of Hanoi HIV/AIDS Prevention Department.

The same day, the HIV/AIDS Prevention Centre in the northern province of Thai Binh, and the management board of the Life-Gap project organised an exchange for children living with HIV.

At the exchange, over 200 gifts, each worth 200,000 VND, were presented to children.

The Education and Training Department of the central province of Ninh Thuan and UNICEF jointly held a forum “Listening to children” for ethnic minority children in the locality.

At the event, children talked about their dreams and wishes in groups. They also gathered proposals for presenting them to provincial leaders on the International Children’s Day./.