Quang Ngai (VNA) – The Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCYU) Central Committee on November 10 held a forum entitled “Renewing youth work – Connecting younger generations – Shaping the future” as part of the 2026 Vietnam–Cambodia–Laos Youth Festival in Quang Ngai province.
The event aimed to further strengthen traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation among the younger generations of the three countries.
The forum was attended and chaired by Pham Hong Hiep, member of the HCYU Central Committee's Standing Board, Vice Chairman of the Gia Lai provincial Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee and Secretary of the provincial HCYU Committee, who headed the Vietnamese delegation; Nguyen Van Manh, Vice Chairman of the Quang Ngai provincial Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee and Secretary of the provincial HCYU Committee; Sisomphone Tipanya, Deputy Head of the Youth Career Development Department of the Lao People's Revolutionary Youth Union Central Committee and head of the Lao delegation; and Hour Chhunkry, Chairman of the Education, Youth and Sports Committee of the Union of Youth Federations of Cambodia and head of the Cambodian delegation.
In his opening remarks, Manh stressed that the rapid pace of digital transformation and deeper international integration have made comprehensive renewal of youth work increasingly urgent.
Discussions focused on two main areas: renewing the content and methods of youth union and federation activities to improve their efficiency, and enhancing the quality of youth organisation officials, strengthening connections and promoting young people's role in fostering solidarity and friendship among the three countries.
The first session featured discussions on renewing youth organisation activities and improving the efficiency of youth work in the new context.
The Vietnamese delegation shared its experience in applying digital technologies to communications and education, including virtual reality (VR) applications that enable young people to explore historical sites and digital museums. It also highlighted the online campaign “Each day a good news story, each week a beautiful story”, which seeks to promote positive values among young people.
Representatives of Laos and Cambodia shared practical models for engaging young people and promoting their pioneering role in education, innovative entrepreneurship and digital transformation.
The second session focused on improving the capacity of youth organisation officials, strengthening connections and promoting young people's role in nurturing Vietnam–Laos–Cambodia solidarity and friendship.
The Vietnamese delegation proposed three key measures: establishing a network of youth union officials from the three countries to facilitate regular exchanges; diversifying exchanges tailored to different groups, including students, young entrepreneurs and border-area youth; and incorporating the history of the three countries' special relations into educational activities.
The Lao and Cambodian delegations also put forward initiatives to expand cultural, sporting and international volunteer activities, helping young people deepen mutual understanding and carry forward the longstanding friendship among the three nations.
The forum recorded many constructive contributions and practical proposals to improve youth work in the new period. Its outcomes are expected to provide a basis for youth organisations in the three countries to coordinate more effectively in implementing future programmes, thererby nurturing their great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation.
Following the forum, the three delegations visited the Thien Ma Mountain tourism site in Tinh Khe commune, Quang Ngai province, to learn about youth-led initiatives in spiritual tourism and livelihood development. They explored ways to harness tourism potential while promoting young people's role in socio-economic development and preserving cultural and spiritual values.
On the occasion, the delegations also visited and presented gifts to children facing difficult circumstances at the Quang Ngai provincial Social Work Centre./.
VNA
