Hanoi (VNA) – Party General Secretary and State President To Lam has called on Vietnam’s youth to embrace a new spirit of responsibility and dedication, urging them to think broader, learn faster, work better and contribute more to the nation’s development.
Addressing the opening session of the 13th Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union National Congress for the 2026–2031 term in Hanoi on June 25, the Party and State leader told 788 delegates representing more than 5.1 million HCYU members and nearly 22 million young people nationwide that the country is entering a new stage of development in which young people are not only inheritors of the revolutionary cause but also direct architects of the future.
Reviewing the HCYU’s 95-year journey, General Secretary and President Lam praised the organisation for remaining a reliable reserve force of the Party, a socialist school for youth and a pioneering force in national development and defence.
He commended the union and young people nationwide for achievements during the past term, noting that youth work and movements had become more innovative, practical, modern and youth-oriented.
At the same time, he acknowledged existing shortcomings and called for stronger, more substantive reforms to enhance political steadfastness, improve working methods and better meet the Party’s expectations.
Regarding future tasks, the top leader emphasised that ideological and patriotic education must go beyond slogans and formal activities. The goal, he said, is to help young people understand, believe in and voluntarily act upon revolutionary ideals.
In digital space, the union should maintain a strong, smart and humane presence, listening to young people, spreading positive values, safeguarding the Party’s ideological foundation and combating harmful information, fake news and unhealthy lifestyles.
The leader urged the union to help build a generation committed to lifelong learning, capable of mastering science and technology, and taking the lead in innovation, digital transformation and international integration.
Young people, he said, should cultivate self-learning habits, foreign-language proficiency, digital and professional skills, critical thinking, collaboration and adaptability.
The union should foster the spirit of “Vietnamese youth mastering the future through knowledge, courage and creativity,” while creating opportunities for scientific research, innovative start-ups, artificial intelligence applications and the development of the green, digital and circular economies.
He stressed the need to connect young people with schools, research institutes, businesses, experts and overseas Vietnamese intellectuals, helping them turn aspirations into capabilities, capabilities into products and products into value for the nation.
The leader called for a comprehensive overhaul of youth movements to make them more practical, specialised and outcome-oriented.
Volunteer programmes should focus on difficult and emerging tasks at the grassroots level, while youth innovation initiatives should contribute to productivity growth, administrative reform, scientific and technological advancement and solutions to real-world challenges. Youth participation in national defence should extend to safeguarding sovereignty, cybersecurity, cultural security and public order, he stated.
General Secretary and State President Lam also urged the union to provide more effective support for young people in education, employment, entrepreneurship, housing, cultural life and physical and mental well-being.
Greater attention should be given to young workers, rural youth, demobilised service members, ethnic minority and religious youth, disadvantaged groups, people with disabilities, rehabilitated offenders and overseas Vietnamese youth.
“No legitimate dream of young people should be left behind because of a lack of information, opportunities, support or confidence,” he said.
The leader stressed the need to build a strong, comprehensive Youth Union that serves as a reliable reserve force for the Party and a training ground for future leaders.
Reaffirming the Party and State’s confidence in the younger generation, General Secretary and State President Lam said Vietnam needs a new spirit from its youth: “to think broader, learn faster, work better, live more beautifully, act more responsibly and contribute more.”
He encouraged every young Vietnamese to nurture great ambitions while beginning with everyday actions - studying seriously, working creatively, living honestly, respecting the law, serving the community and upholding national pride.
“When Vietnamese youth step onto the global stage, they should embody a positive image of the nation — confident in knowledge, dignified in character, rich in culture, responsible to the Fatherland and friendly to international friends,” he said./.
