On October 7th, the Standing Committee of the Central Agency Youth Union held a ceremony to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Summer Volunteer Campaign. The event honored groups and individuals with outstanding achievements during the campaign period from 2000 to 2024 and took stock of the 2024 Summer Volunteer Campaign at the outdoor studio of Vietnam Television.
The program was an opportunity to assess the results achieved after 25 years of the Summer Volunteer Campaign and identify the directions, tasks, and solutions for future implementation, while also recognizing and rewarding the outstanding groups and individuals. In addition, it was a moment to express gratitude to the units that have cooperated and accompanied the Central Agency Youth Union over the years.
The ceremony was attended by representatives from the Central Agency Party Committee, the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, the Central Agency Youth Union, representatives from the Vietnam Television Youth Union, and many youth members.
Launched in 2000 at a time of national transformation, the campaign was initially called the "Summer Volunteer Campaign for Youth, Students, and Pupils" from 2000 to 2008. In 2009, the campaign was renamed "Summer Volunteer Campaign." Over the past 25 years, this campaign has become indispensable to youth activities nationwide. Every summer, millions of youth members from across the country volunteer to travel to remote areas, overcoming difficulties and hardships to bring their knowledge and youthful spirit to help solve local challenges with specific actions, fulfilling President Ho Chi Minh's words: "Where the Party needs the youth, the youth must be present; where there are difficulties, the youth must step forward."
Some images from the 25th anniversary of the Summer Volunteer Campaign
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Lai Xuan Lam, Permanent Deputy Secretary of the Central Agency Party Committee, emphasized: “25 years ago, at the turn of the millennium, the Central Youth Union officially launched the Summer Volunteer Campaign across the country. Since then, the campaign has grown and attracted tens of millions of young people, leaving a strong mark, and making significant contributions to economic development, environmental protection, and national security. The Summer Volunteer Campaign is a meaningful social activity, rich in humanity, and as a practical school for young people to learn, contribute, and grow.”
Mr. Lai Xuan Lam - Permanent Deputy Secretary of the Central Agency Party Committee - speaks at the ceremony.
Over the past 25 years, the Summer Volunteer Campaign of the Central Agency Youth Union has achieved many significant results and left a profound impact on the community. With over 10,000 youth-led projects, totaling hundreds of billions of VND in value, some notable accomplishments include: repairing more than 305 kilometers and constructing 31 kilometers of rural roads, conducting training on scientific advancements for more than 59,000 youth members, planting over 835,000 trees, providing free medical check-ups and treatment for over 630,000 people, and mobilizing the construction of over 1,200 charity houses.
On behalf of the Party Committee, Mr. Lai Xuan Lam praised and acknowledged the achievements made over the 25 years of the Summer Volunteer Campaign: “You should take pride in your contributions to society and the youth-led projects full of volunteer spirit, which are the crystallization of your enthusiasm, intellect, bravery, and compassion over the years.”
Mr. Lai Xuan Lam acknowledges and commends the 25 years of achievements in the Summer Volunteer Campaign by the youth of the Central Agency.
According to the Permanent Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the Central Agencies Bloc, the coming years will mark a new era for Vietnam, a period when the nation will further integrate internationally. Science and technology will continue to receive substantial investment, leading to significant progress. Numerous policies and resolutions from the Party, along with laws related to youth by the State, will continue to be refined, supplemented, and implemented, creating new opportunities for young people to fully utilize their potential, energy, spirit of dedication, and grow through work, study, and activities.
Mr. Lai Xuan Lam, therefore, suggests that various levels of the Youth Union in the Bloc focus on the following points:
First, the youth union should closely link the movement activities with the education activities of the union in carrying out the Summer Youth Volunteer Campaign, especially in nurturing and educating revolutionary ideals, ethics, and cultural lifestyles for the younger generation. Through movement activities, practical environments will be created, allowing the Union to better educate its members. Additionally, doing well in educational activities will help stir up the pioneering spirit, volunteerism, and readiness to dedicate and commit to causes among the youth, thus promoting the continuous growth of movement activities. The harmonious combination of these two elements will create vitality and sustainability for the campaign, bringing deep humanitarian values to society and contributing to the personal development of each Youth Union member.
Second, the Youth Union needs to enhance its role in guiding, designing, and organizing activities within the Summer Volunteer Youth Campaign. Professionalism in organizing volunteer activities should be increased, with an emphasis on frequent and localized volunteer work, aligned with the political tasks of the agencies and units. The Union should also enhance its coordinating role, focus on networking , and mobilize social resources to increase the value of volunteer activities, creating large-scale projects marked by the Central Agencies Bloc's youth and bringing practical benefits to the community under the guidelines of the right locations, the right beneficiaries , and the necessary content for support. Moreover, the Union should step up its communication efforts regarding volunteer activities to attract more attention, support, and commitment from different social forces. Taking advantage of digital technology and the digital transformation process to expand new spaces and fronts for volunteering will ensure that volunteer activities become regular, daily actions rather than being concentrated in specific times or locations.
Third, Vietnam faces many urgent issues that require collective efforts of the entire society. I recommend that the Youth Union in the Central Bloc, in addition to addressing everyday social needs during the Summer Volunteer Youth Campaign, invest more in young people's creativity in solving contemporary, urgent issues of great significance for the country's long-term development. These include environmental protection, climate change mitigation, the fight against corruption, waste, and negative behaviors, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the national digital transformation process, innovative startups, and legal and policy improvement. With their enthusiasm, creativity, and desire to contribute, the young intellectuals who work in the strategic advisory bodies of the Party, State, Fatherland Front, and political-social organizations at the central level must commit themselves to taking the lead the charge in addressing the country's pressing and sustainable development challenges.
At the anniversary celebration, Mr. Bui Hoang Tung, a member of the Party Committee of the Central Agencies Bloc, a member of the Central Youth Union’s Standing Committee, and Secretary of the Youth Union of the Central Agencies Bloc stated: "Over the past 25 years of implementing the Summer Volunteer Youth Campaign, many significant achievements have been made by the Union, along with millions of young volunteers, directly contributing to transforming rural areas, urban development, and improving the socio-economic and cultural life in many localities. These efforts have also explored and developed mountain areas, wastelands, border areas, and frontier islands, helping to safeguard national security and sovereignty. Throughout the country’s youth movement, the Summer Volunteer Youth Campaign of the Central Agencies Bloc has been continuously innovative and creative each year. From its early years under the common name of the Summer Volunteer Youth Campaign, it has evolved into a structure with one program, "Supporting Students for Exams," and two campaigns, "Green Summer" and "Pink Vacation." These activities are tailored to different target groups, providing a training environment for youth to maximize their potential in taking on youth-led projects."
Mr. Bui Hoang Tung, Secretary of the Youth Union of the Central Agencies Bloc, speaks at the anniversary event.
According to Mr. Bui Hoang Tung, the Youth Union does not operate in residential areas, meaning the activities of the Summer Volunteer Youth Campaign are spread across all regions of the country, particularly in difficult, remote, and border areas, as well as in islands. Additionally, volunteer activities combined with professional expertise are a unique feature that affirms the value and identity of the youth in the Central Agencies Bloc, where talented youth are concentrated, working in the strategic advisory bodies of the Party, State, Fatherland Front, and political-social organizations at the central level. The professional knowledge involved in youth-led projects is increasingly evident. Youth Union units have focused on strengthening collaboration among forces, regions, and communities in carrying out volunteer activities, working together to improve the effectiveness and sustainability of these initiatives.
The success of the campaign is not only reflected in the practical, long-lasting projects for the community but also in the great practical lessons learned by each volunteer during this period of youthful vigor. Through collective work, labor, and the love of their fellow countrymen, each participant has improved themselves. Love for their country, compassion, a spirit of sharing, solidarity, responsibility, teamwork, independence, and creativity are all beautiful values nurtured in each young personthrough the Summer Volunteer Youth Campaign.
The impacts of globalization, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the digital economy, digital society, and digital culture are transforming the global political, economic, cultural, and social landscape, bringing both opportunities and new challenges for developing Vietnam's economy and culture, as well as building a new generation of citizens. The youth volunteer movement initiated by the Youth Union faces many challenges as the country transitions. Renewing methods and adopting a flexible and creative approach are essential to continue drawing more young people into the Summer Volunteer Youth Campaign and inspiring more sectors of society to join. This will play an important role in fostering patriotism, social responsibility, and nurturing humanitarian values in every young person.
The Secretary of the Youth Union of the Central Agencies Bloc emphasizes the need to innovate in operational methods and adopt a flexible, creative approach to attract more youth to the Summer Volunteer Youth Campaign and involve more sectors of society in its activities.
The Secretary of the Youth Union of the Central Agencies Bloc went on to say: "We are standing at the dawn of a new era, an era of Vietnam's rise. With the vision of Vietnam becominga developed, high-income country following a socialist orientation by 2045, the young generation will be the crucial force, and the Party hopes to realize this ambition. Therefore, every young person in the Central Agencies Bloc must take the lead, be willing to volunteer for political tasks, take on difficult and new challenges, and share with the community. They should be ready to go wherever they are needed and do whatever the country requires of them."
Soon, the Standing Committee of the Youth Union of the Central Agencies Bloc urged Youth Union units to maximize their intelligence, pioneering spirit, creativity, and capacity to mobilize resources to create specific activities, new models, and effective methods in line with socio-economic development tasks. They should also strengthen the application of digital transformation in connecting, coordinating, and managing volunteer activities. Flexibility and creativity in combining volunteer activities with professional work under the motto "Using expertise in volunteerism, using expertise to serve the community" is key. Furthermore, the youth should proactively advise the Party committees and agency leaders to assign difficult and new tasks to young people.
On this occasion, the Standing Committee of the Youth Union of the Central Agencies Bloc honored 10 collectives and four individuals for their outstanding achievements in implementing the Summer Volunteer Youth Campaign from 2000 to 2024. Nine units were also recognized for their partnership over the past 25 years, and 17 units were awarded for their excellent performance in the 2024 Summer Volunteer Youth Campaign.
The Youth Union of Vietnam Television was awarded a certificate of merit from the Standing Committee of the Youth Union of the Central Agencies Bloc for its outstanding performance in the 2000-2024 Summer Volunteer Youth Campaign. The Youth Union of VTV also received certificates of merit from the Central Youth Union and the Youth Union of the Central Agencies Bloc for its outstanding organization and execution of programs during the 2024 campaign.
Additionally, Ms. Vu Thu Trang, Deputy Secretary of the Youth Union of Vietnam Television, was honored with a certificate of merit from the Central Youth Union for her outstanding contribution to organizing and implementation of programs during the 2024 Summer Volunteer Youth Campaign.
