Summer youth volunteer campaign marks 20th anniversary

First Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee Le Quoc Phong speaks at the ceremony in HCM City on August 17 (Photo: VNA)

The first season of the campaign was launched nationwide in 2000 by the Standing Board of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCYU) Central Committee.

Over the last two decades, volunteers of the campaign have repaired and built 287,190km of rural roads, repaired 182,279 houses and built 67,431 others.

HCYU units at all levels have organised 21,373 teams to give medical counseling, checks-up and treatment to 14 million people. Additionally, blood donation activities as part of this campaign have attracted 2 million HCYU members and other young people, collecting 1.8 million blood units.

Addressing the ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh said the summer youth volunteer campaign has helped tens of thousands of young Vietnamese people to improve themselves and make contributions.

In the face of the growing national industrialisation, modernisation and integration into the world and impacts of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, HCYU units must carry out strong and comprehensive reforms to build on the enormous achievements over the last 20 years and affirm their role in guiding the volunteer movement in general, he noted.

For his part, First Secretary of the HCYU Central Committee Le Quoc Phong said through practical activities, the summer youth volunteer campaign has enhanced people and all-level authorities’ trust in the youth. It has attracted a large number of young people to dedicate their skills and knowledge and also served as a lighthouse guiding the operation of volunteer groups in society.

He called on young people to take part in the campaign to learn, experience, dedicate and grow up since each season will help them learn new things and understand that “giving means receiving”, which will become the spiritual support for them to gain more successes in their lives.

Also at the ceremony, collectives and individuals with excellent performance in the campaign were honoured with State-level rewards.-VNA