I vow to always follow his example.

(Baonghean)The ceremony honoring exemplary individuals and groups in "Learning and Following the Moral Example of Ho Chi Minh" was solemnly held in Vinh City during the sacred month of May, leading up to the 123rd anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's birth. The collectives and individuals honored this time represent over 3 million people from Nghe An province, his homeland, who gathered here with pride and the aspiration to do even more good deeds, contributing to the progress of their homeland.

Traveling hundreds of kilometers, Mr. La Van Vinh, a member of the Dan Lai ethnic group and currently a staff member at the Mon Son Commune Health Station in Con Cuong District, arrived early in Vinh City to attend the conference. Working in his hometown of Mon Son, one of the first places in the province to establish a Party branch, Mr. Vinh is always conscious of his responsibility to inherit and promote the revolutionary spirit of his ancestors. Despite numerous challenges and difficulties, he and his colleagues at the commune health station remain undeterred, united in their efforts to provide healthcare for the local people. When honored on this occasion, he humbly shared: “I am truly proud, but I still feel I have much to learn and contribute. This achievement is not only my own but also that of my friends, colleagues, and especially the active support of the ethnic people in the region.” Over the past year, Mr. La Van Vinh and the Mon Son Commune Health Station have provided medicine and medical examinations to the ethnic people, while also raising awareness and helping them eliminate outdated customs. He went from house to house, examining and treating the elderly, the infirm, and those in special circumstances. Now, La Van Vinh is considered by the people of Mon Son as a pillar of support whenever they are sick…

Provincial leaders present Certificates of Commendation to outstanding individuals in the campaign. Photo: SY MINH

Among the 40 exemplary individuals honored this time, many are veterans who once fought in battles and have now returned to their hometowns to work alongside their children and grandchildren, clearing land for agricultural production and livestock farming, and building new lives. Despite facing numerous difficulties and challenges, they – the soldiers of Uncle Ho – remain steadfast and shine brightly. Attending the ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Van Quang, a veteran from Quynh Ba commune, Quynh Luu district, emotionally shared: “When listening to the presentations by officials, Party members, and the people at this conference, I saw many individuals and groups following the moral example of Uncle Ho. The ‘rice savings jars,’ the ‘piggy banks’ in various localities, or the ‘bowls of compassionate porridge’ in hospitals—these may seem small, but they have immense value. It’s not just about helping each other materially, but more importantly, about the spirit of solidarity and mutual support. Uncle Ho himself once went without food for a few meals a week to give rice to his hungry compatriots…”

At the ceremony, we met again with the hero, Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Duc Cuong - Deputy Head of the Drug Crime Police Department. He represents the younger generation continuing the revolutionary spirit, upholding the responsibility of a police officer, deeply imbued with Uncle Ho's teachings, "for the country, sacrificing oneself; for the people, serving wholeheartedly." Even more honorably, he was the only outstanding individual from our province to attend the Conference to Commend Outstanding Individuals in Studying and Following the Moral Example of Ho Chi Minh, held on May 17th in Hanoi. And many more exemplary individuals who studied and followed Uncle Ho's example came to the ceremony, sharing admirable and proud stories and achievements...

Besides outstanding individuals, 27 collectives were honored, including Party branches and people from various hamlets and villages who united to build a new life, or groups of members of the Women's Association in the commune who practiced thrift together, helping members and poor people develop production and livestock farming through specific models. Representing the Party Committee and people of Tri Le commune at the provincial-level honoring ceremony in Vinh City, Mr. Lo Xuan Phong - Secretary of the Party Committee of the commune - said: “In recent years, the Party Committee and people of the commune have been determined to eradicate hunger and reduce poverty, coordinating with functional forces to fight crime and firmly protect the border of the Fatherland. We are truly proud to be commended by the province and will strive to achieve even more accomplishments to report to Uncle Ho every year...”.

On behalf of the officers and soldiers of the Propaganda Department - Provincial Military Command, Major Nguyen Trong Loc - Head of the Department, happily shared: “Being honored and recognized by the province, the members of the Propaganda Department are very happy. Over the past two years, in addition to propaganda duties within the force, we have advised Party committees and commanders at all levels to effectively implement ideological education, building strong political fortitude for officers and soldiers, ready to accept and complete any task entrusted by the Party and the people. In addition, we have closely coordinated with Party committees and local authorities to strengthen propaganda and mobilize the people to unite in building a solid national defense posture.”

The two-year review of the implementation of Directive 03-CT/T.Ư of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, presented by Comrade Tô Hồng Hải at the awards ceremony, highly praised the exemplary cadres and Party members holding key leadership positions in departments, localities, and the armed forces. Among the 40 outstanding individuals, 20 are Party branch secretaries, district Party secretaries and deputy secretaries, and heads and deputy heads of provincial-level departments; 4 are Provincial Party Committee members; and Comrade Nguyễn Xuân Sơn – Member of the Standing Committee and Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Mass Mobilization Department. This demonstrates the widespread impact of the Campaign to Study and Follow the Moral Example of Ho Chi Minh, and more than anyone else, leaders and heads of all levels and sectors must be pioneers in studying and following the moral example of Ho Chi Minh to serve the people and contribute to the widespread dissemination of good examples and good deeds at the grassroots level.

Over the past two years of implementing Directive 03 on continuing to promote the study and emulation of Ho Chi Minh's moral example, the Party Committee and people of the province have achieved many diverse and rich results with profound political, economic, and social significance. This includes the movement of mutual support and assistance for the poor and disadvantaged areas. Eighty-eight agencies and organizations throughout the province have provided assistance to 88 disadvantaged communes and villages in mountainous regions. Some exemplary cases include: the Party Committee of the provincial-level agencies, the Party Committee of the Military, the Police, the Women's Union at all levels, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, the districts of Quy Hop, Anh Son, Nghia Dan, Quynh Luu, and Vinh City… or Comrade Hoang Van Binh, from the Anh Son District Military Command, who has provided monthly support of 10kg of rice to two orphaned children until they reach adulthood; Comrade Vo Van Vinh - Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghi Thai commune (Nghi Loc district) donated 100 million VND to the commune's "For the Poor" Fund...

There are many more examples of individuals and groups following this example that cannot be fully mentioned within the scope of this article, but together they have formed a vibrant lotus flower offered to our beloved Uncle Ho on his birthday. These are united and strong groups, including leaders of provincial departments and agencies, leaders of local units, workers, laborers, and farmers in mountainous and highland areas, as well as in the plains and coastal regions. These exemplary individuals represent all ethnic groups, religions, and armed forces throughout the province in studying and following the moral example of President Ho Chi Minh.

Gaining a deeper understanding of the exemplary individuals and role models honored at the ceremony, Comrade Ho Duc Phoc - Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee - delivered a speech acknowledging the efforts of cadres, Party members, and the people in implementing the campaign to study and follow the moral example of Ho Chi Minh. Over the past two years, the emulation movement for socio-economic development, legitimate wealth creation, and joint efforts in building new rural areas has been vibrant throughout the province. Many families in rural areas have voluntarily donated hundreds of thousands of square meters of land without compensation to build roads, valued at tens of billions of dong.

Learning from and following the moral example of Uncle Ho, cadres and civil servants in agencies, units, schools, and businesses have demonstrated dedication to their work, closeness to the people, and strengthened solidarity and cooperation... All of this contributes to multiplying the admirable aspects of everyday life, so that together with the entire Party Committee and people, we can build a prosperous and beautiful homeland as Uncle Ho always wished. The Provincial Party Secretary also requested that the exemplary collectives and individuals honored this time continue to build upon their achievements, and together with the Party committees and authorities, further spread the examples of good people and good deeds in each residential area so that every May, we can proudly report our achievements to our beloved Uncle Ho.

NGUYEN SON