From Nha Rong Wharf to the aspiration for a strong and prosperous Vietnam.

Exactly 115 years ago, on June 5, 1911, from Nha Rong Wharf, the young man Nguyen Tat Thanh set out to find a way to save the country. That departure not only paved the way for national independence but also left us with a great lesson: For the country to prosper, each generation must know how to find its own path through intellect, courage, and a desire to serve the Fatherland.

There are quiet moments in history that resonate for generations to come.

On the morning of June 5, 1911, the young man Nguyen Tat Thanh boarded a ship to embark on his journey to find a way to save the country. There were no farewell flags or flowers, no promises of glory, only a heart deeply concerned with the fate of the nation and a profound belief that Vietnam must be independent, and the Vietnamese people must live in freedom, prosperity, and happiness.

One hundred and fifty years have passed, but that departure still moves us deeply. For it was not just the journey of one man, but a turning point for the entire nation. In the long night of slavery, when many paths to national salvation remained blocked, Nguyen Tat Thanh chose a different path: to go out into the world to understand it, to learn from the best of humanity in order to find a way to liberate his nation. He left his homeland, but his heart never strayed from it. He immersed himself in the working lives of people across many continents, so that from the suffering of the Vietnamese people he recognized the shared suffering of oppressed nations, and from there found the right revolutionary path for our nation.

Recalling the day President Ho Chi Minh set out to find a way to save the nation, we do not merely bow our heads before a sacred memory. We reflect on that memory to ask ourselves what we must do today to be worthy. If President Ho Chi Minh's generation had to find a path to independence, then today's generation must find a path to lead the country to faster, more sustainable, stronger, and more humane development. If the great question of 1911 was...How can the nation escape from slavery?So today's big question is...How can Vietnam rise to become a developed country?It has a rightful place, so that every citizen can live in a prosperous, just, civilized, and happy society.

In his article "The Light of Ho Chi Minh Guides Our Way," General Secretary and President To Lam emphasized that Ho Chi Minh's thought is "a torch illuminating the path, a compass" for the Vietnamese revolution. This statement reminds us that learning from Uncle Ho is not just about repeating the past, but about continuing his spirit of finding a new path in new circumstances: daring to think new, daring to do new, daring to break through old ways, and placing national interests and the happiness of the people above all else.

Remove bottlenecks, unlock resources, and turn aspirations into achievements.

The spirit of Nha Rong Wharf today is one of innovation, creativity, and self-reliance. The country is entering a new era of development with unprecedented strength, potential, position, and international prestige. However, many challenges remain: labor productivity, human resource quality, science and technology, digital transformation, competitiveness, institutional quality, public service culture, and the aspirations of the Vietnamese people. Therefore, today's "search for a path" is no longer about boarding a ship and sailing out to sea, but about embarking on a journey in thinking, in reform, in creativity, and in every concrete action to remove bottlenecks, unlock resources, and transform aspirations into achievements.

General Secretary and President To Lam once emphasized the need to shift the perspective on resources from "available, limited, and static" to resources that are "created, enriched, renewed, connected, and disseminated." This message is also very close to the spirit of Ho Chi Minh: Do not wait, do not be complacent, do not limit yourself; you must know how to open the way, create the path, and go all the way on the chosen path for the benefit of the nation and the future of the people.

Every Vietnamese person today can have their own "Nha Rong Wharf." It's the moment a young person is determined to learn and master artificial intelligence, semiconductors, data, and green technology. It's when an entrepreneur dares to build a Vietnamese brand that reaches the world, a scientist perseveres in the laboratory to create new value, a teacher instills in their students a love of knowledge and character. It's also when an official chooses dedication, transparency, and closeness to the people instead of cold, bureaucratic habits, and an artist makes Vietnamese culture beloved through talent, courage, and national pride...

Uncle Ho's passing was not for the country to achieve independence merely in name. He passed away so that the people could be masters of their own lives, children could receive an education, the poor could have the opportunity to rise up, national culture could be preserved, and Vietnamese people could live with dignity, compassion, and justice. Therefore, development today cannot be measured solely by growth figures, but must be measured by the quality of life of the people, by social trust, kindness in conduct, human creativity, and the position of Vietnamese culture in the world.

Looking back over 115 years, we understand even more that a nation wishing to go far must cherish sacred anchors in its heart. Nha Rong Wharf is one such anchor. From there, a patriotic young man went out into the world to bring Vietnam back to its true self: an independent, free Vietnam with dignity and aspirations.

Today, building upon that foundation, we continue to move forward into the future with the belief that the Vietnamese people – with their patriotic traditions, self-reliance, creative intelligence, and the strength of great unity – will certainly achieve new miracles.

Commemorating the 115th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's departure to seek a path to national salvation, the most meaningful aspect is not just remembering a historic journey, but continuing onward. Onward to achieve more powerful reforms, to better serve the people, and to let culture illuminate development. Onward to transform the aspiration for national strength and prosperity into reality.

From Nha Rong Wharf in 1911 to Vietnam today, it has been a great journey. And from Vietnam today to a prosperous and happy Vietnam tomorrow will be the journey of our generation. On that journey, the light of Ho Chi Minh still guides us, patriotism remains the flame in our hearts, and the aspiration for a strong and prosperous Vietnam continues to call each of us to move forward.