Volunteer year illustrates youth enthusiasm for community activities

The 2014 Youth Volunteer Year proved to be a success, with a series of activities held across Vietnam demonstrating the youth’s dynamism in campaigns for community interests.
The 2014 Youth Volunteer Year proved to be a success, with a series ofactivities held across Vietnam demonstrating the youth’s dynamism incampaigns for community interests.

Voluntary activities towardsthe country’s seas and islands were a highlight of the year and werewarmly received by youth nationwide, especially amidst China’s illegalplacement of an oil rig in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone andcontinental shelf from May to July of last year.

A programme runby the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union(HCYU) and the Naval High Command mobilised more than 2 billion VND(about 95,240 USD) in donations for residents and soldiers on the TruongSa (Spratly) archipelago.

Meanwhile, the Central Committee ofthe Vietnam Students’ Association built eight flag poles on islandsusing money donated by undergraduate students across the country. Italso called upon businesses to give lifebuoys and 900 national flags toresidents in Phu Quoc Island, offered free check-ups to Tho Chuislanders, and presented gifts to children on the islands.

Theyouth visited and encouraged residents and soldiers on the Truong Saarchipelago as well as the families of coast guard servicemen andfishery resource surveillance forces performing their duties at sea. Afund to support fishermen working around Hoang Sa (Paracel) was alsoestablished.

In 2014, youth participation fuelled progress on thenational new-style rural area building programme, a Government-launchedinitiative to improve and develop Vietnam’s rural areas since 2011.

Duringthe summer volunteer campaign, youth teams were sent to disadvantagedlocalities in the northwest, Central Highlands, and southwest regionswhere they worked together to build infrastructure facilities includingirrigation systems, roads, hygienic toilets, cultural centres, andplaying grounds.

Volunteers advised rural residents aboutprofitable production models, animal and crop farming techniques, andtechnology transfer while disseminating information on laws andencouraging the young to practice healthy cultural activities.

Alsoin 2014, a wide range of traffic safety-themed activities wereconducted by HCYU chapters to raise awareness of traffic safety models;the Hanoi chapter established 30 volunteer teams who assisted police inensuring traffic safety at congestion sites and accident hotbeds andalso organised traffic law and skill courses for local residents.

Suchefforts greatly contributed to the 4 percent decrease in the number offatalities and a 13.8 percent reduction in accidents in 2014.-VNA

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The remains of 12 Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts, who laid down their lives in different periods in Laos’ Savannakhet province, are repatriated following a handover ceremony at the Lao Bao (Vietnam's Quang Tri province) - Densavan (Savannakhet) international border gate on May 21. (Photo: VNA)

Remains of Vietnamese fallen soldiers, experts repatriated from Laos

The remains of 12 Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts, who laid down their lives in different periods in Laos’ Savannakhet province, were repatriated following a handover ceremony on May 21. They will be re-buried at the Road 9 National Martyrs Cemetery in Vietnam's central province of Quang Tri on May 22.

A veteran offers incense at the war martyrs’ cemetery in Nghi Loc district, Nghe An province. (Photo: VNA)

Nghe An reburies martyrs' remains repatriated from Laos

Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Phung Thanh Vinh said that carrying a noble international duty, many Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts heroically joined Lao people in their struggle for national liberation and independence. Many of them sacrificed their lives in the country, including more than 12,000 soldiers laying down in the three provinces of Xaysomboun, Vientiane, and Xiangkhouang.

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The Vietnamese delegation wins two second prizes, one third prize, three fourth prizes, and four special awards granted by sponsors at ISEF 2025. (Photo: VNA)

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Secretary of the Bu Dang district Party Committee and Head of the Steering Committee for Eliminating Dilapidated Housing, Vu Luong (fourth from right), performs the ribbon-cutting ceremony to hand over a new house to a disadvantaged household. (Photo: VNA)

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Vietnamese Ambassador to Hungary Bui Le Thai and embassy staff offer flowers at the statue of President Ho Chi Minh in Zalaegerszeg city, Hungary. (Photo: VNA)

President Ho Chi Minh’s 135th birth anniversary marked in Hungary

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Myawaddy township is located in Kayin State, southeastern Myanmar. (Photo: AP)

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