Youth with the journey of gratitude

(Baonghean) - Together with the youth of the whole country, the Youth Union members and young people of Nghe An have done practical and meaningful work. It is not only a journey of gratitude but also brings profound experiences to the young generation about the history, traditions and ethics of our nation.

Young generation heart

The war has passed, the country is peaceful and unified, but the pain and loss that the war left behind cannot be compensated. Every year, July 27 has become a reminder for everyone of the Vietnamese people's tradition of remembering the source of water. This July has a special meaning, marking the 70th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs Day.

In that sacred and proud feeling, all levels of the Youth Union in the province, union members and youth have had activities to show gratitude, expressing the hearts of young people for the sacrifices and losses of previous generations. In Long Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district, with the call of the commune Youth Union, cadres, people, union members and youth have donated 5.4 million VND. With this source of funding, the Long Thanh commune Youth Union has organized many activities to show gratitude such as visiting and encouraging families of martyrs, families of war invalids, families of policy beneficiaries, victims of toxic chemicals, etc.

Youth Union members of Yen Thanh District Medical Center provide health check-ups for families of wounded soldiers, sick soldiers, families of policy beneficiaries, and meritorious people. Photo: Thanh Duy

Secretary of Yen Thanh District Youth Union, Pham Thi Huyen Trang said: Yen Thanh District Youth Union has organized many activities targeting policy beneficiaries, especially organizing for units such as the Youth Union of Yen Thanh District General Hospital to organize free medical examinations and medicine distribution for nearly 50 wounded soldiers, sick soldiers, policy families, and people with meritorious services to the revolution in Lien Thanh and Nam Thanh communes on July 25; visit and present gifts to 9 Vietnamese Heroic Mothers; 39/39 communes and towns organized cleaning and whitewashing at cemeteries and memorial areas. 100% of establishments simultaneously organized candle lighting ceremonies in gratitude combined with cultural and artistic activities and presented more than 450 gifts with a total value of nearly 50 million VND to relatives of martyrs and policy families...

In Do Luong district, the District Youth Union has deployed all levels of the Youth Union to organize activities in response to the month of gratitude such as: Repairing the memorial stele, visiting and giving gifts to families of war invalids, martyrs, families of people with revolutionary contributions, organizing a Youth Union meeting with the theme "Following the footsteps of heroes". "In particular, on July 15, at the Do Luong District Martyrs' Cemetery, the District Youth Union organized the admission of 70 outstanding young people into the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union" - Secretary of the Do Luong District Youth Union Nguyen Duc Luong said.

Not only widely deployed in localities, the July gratitude activities are also organized in universities and colleges in the province in conjunction with the 2017 summer volunteer activities. During the period from July 4 to 20, the Law Practice Club Volunteer Team, Faculty of Law, Vinh University, consisting of 25 members, had many volunteer activities in Binh Chuan commune, Con Cuong district.

In the common activities, in addition to helping local people, the team spent time cleaning and repairing some works at the Martyrs' Memorial of the commune, as well as burning incense to pay tribute to the heroic martyrs. Tran Xuan Dung, from Dak Lak, a student of K55, majoring in Economic Law, Faculty of Law, Vinh University, and captain of the Volunteer Team of the Law Practice Club, shared: "This is the second year I have participated in the summer volunteer program with the wish to use my youth to help more people, especially in difficult areas, families with meritorious services to the revolution. The journey of gratitude, the journey of continuing with the activities that the volunteer team has participated in is very meaningful for the youth."

Looking back at the summer volunteer campaign of Vinh University, Secretary of the Youth Union Thieu Dinh Phong said: This year, the Youth Union has thoroughly instructed the volunteer teams to integrate the work of gratitude and remembering the source of water in the localities. In addition, the Youth Union sent student teams to spend time taking care of and performing arts for wounded and sick soldiers at the War Invalids Nursing Center in Nghi Phong (Nghi Loc) and some activities at the Vietnam - Laos International Martyrs' Cemetery... "Through gratitude activities to educate the tradition of remembering the source of water of our nation to union members and young people; at the same time, helping the families of people who have contributed to the revolution in the most practical way" - Mr. Phong shared.

Traditional education for the younger generation

Implementing the plan of the Central Youth Union Secretariat on organizing the activity "Following the footsteps of heroes" to celebrate the 70th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs Day (July 27, 1947 - July 27, 2017) and the plan of the Provincial People's Committee, the Standing Committee of Nghe An Provincial Youth Union has deployed many practical activities in the month of gratitude in July. In which, the highlight is to propagate and educate the glorious tradition of the nation and the great dedication and sacrifice of heroes and martyrs by organizing activities of branches and associations with the theme: "Following the footsteps of heroes"; organizing journeys to the source, journeys following the footsteps of heroes, journeys to historical sites, red addresses; recruiting union members, association members, advising on recruiting young party members at historical and revolutionary sites...

Secretary of the Provincial Youth Union Pham Tuan Vinh visited and encouraged war invalids at the War Invalids Nursing Center in Nghi Phong commune, Nghi Loc district. Photo: My Nga

On the other hand, promoting the youth's strength with the spirit of volunteerism, the Youth Union at all levels has organized activities, projects, and youth work to honor heroic martyrs, people with meritorious services, families of policy beneficiaries, wounded and sick soldiers, and families of martyrs such as: Youth Union and Association bases receive support, visit, and care for Vietnamese Heroic Mothers; visit, give gifts, and support, help with housework for people with meritorious services, families of policy beneficiaries, former youth volunteers, wounded and sick soldiers; organize medical examination and treatment points to give free medicine to families of policy beneficiaries; exchange activities, performing arts at centers for caring for wounded and sick soldiers; at the same time participate in renovating and cleaning steles and memorials of martyrs; repair works honoring martyrs, martyrs' graves, temples, create clean and beautiful landscapes at cemeteries, martyrs' monuments, historical and cultural relics; mobilize resources, contribute working days to build and repair gratitude houses; Works serving the lives and activities of families with meritorious services to the revolution, wounded and sick soldiers.

Especially at the provincial level, the Provincial Youth Union Standing Committee has organized activities of a significant nature, leaving a great impression on union members, youth and the community such as: Organizing the art exchange program "Vietnam - Laos Epic" at the Vietnam - Laos International Martyrs' Cemetery in Anh Son district on the evening of July 15, 2017; coordinating the organization of the candle lighting ceremony at the Vietnam - Laos International Martyrs' Cemetery in Anh Son district on the evening of July 26, 2017...

Discussing the gratitude journey in July, Secretary of the Provincial Youth Union Pham Tuan Vinh assessed: Implementing the activity "Following the footsteps of heroes", the Youth Union chapters at all levels in the province have effectively implemented many diverse activities, attracting a large number of union members and young people to participate. Thereby, contributing to ideological education; raising awareness for union members and young people about the sacrifices and contributions of previous generations for the country to have today. From there, the young generation of the province has a better understanding of the role and responsibility for the cause of building and defending the Fatherland in the new period. In the coming time, the Provincial Youth Union will continue to maintain the work of traditional education more regularly and effectively. Because this is one of the key contents in the political and ideological education work of the Youth Union organization.

Thanh Duy