Talking about on the 35-year development of the association, President Senior Lieutenant General Be Xuan Truong recalled that thirty-five years ago, in response to the urgent requirements of the revolution in a new phase and to meet the legitimate and heartfelt aspirations of millions of war veterans, on December 6, 1989, the 6th Politburo decided to establish the Vietnam War Veterans' Association, with the aim at preserving and promoting the revolutionary tradition of the Vietnamese troops, uniting and supporting war veterans, helping educate young generations about traditions, and making recommendations to the Party and State agencies to formulate and implement the Party’s guidelines and State’s policies.
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Leaders of the Vietnam War Veterans' Association and delegates join the exchange with outstanding veterans. |
Gen. Truong added that thoroughly grasping the Politburo’s directives and the association’s former Honorary President General Vo Nguyen Giap’s instructions that war veterans’ task is to maintain the qualities of Uncle Ho’s soldiers and build a strong association under any circumstances, generations of members of the association have remained loyal to the Party and the revolutionary cause of the nation. Over the the past 35 years, in any circumstances, members of VVA have well upheld the tradition of Uncle Ho’s soldiers and strived to build a robust, comprehensive association. To date, over 3 million war veterans have been members of 13,675 local VVA organizations. Moreover, the VVA has mobilized nearly 1 million former soldiers to join clubs of former military personnel.
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Delegates at an exchange with outstanding veterans |
Under the leadership of the Politburo, directly guided by the Secretariat and Party committees at all levels, as well as the cooperation and support of the Government, local authorities, and various sectors, the VVA has excelled in completing its tasks, contributing to the construction and protection of the Party, State, socialist regime, people, and the great national unity. Members have stayed united and helped each other in economic development, hunger elimination, and poverty reduction; promoted people-to-people diplomacy; cooperated in educating the younger generation; and built a strong and trustworthy political force that supports local Party committees, authorities, and people.
According to Gen. Truong, over the past five years (2019-2024), the patriotic emulation movement launched by the VVA’s Central Committee has been comprehensively and systematically implemented by local VVA organizations. Activities in the movement has focused on actualizing the association's political tasks and motivated war veterans to promote the qualities and traditions of Uncle Ho’s soldiers and build and protect the Party, social regime, the people, and national unity.
He said that the emulation movement has been closely linked to other patriotic emulation movements and campaigns launched by the Party and localities. Through the movement, war veterans have effectively participated in programs, contributing to creating positive changes in rural and remote areas .
Over the past five years, the poverty rate among VVA members has dropped from 7.6% to 3.8%. Forty-four out of 63 provinces and cities have nearly eliminated poverty among veterans, and the number of wealthy and well-off households now makes up 57.2%. The VVA has contributed more than VND 2 trillion, over 4.5 million workdays, and more than 6.9 million square meters of land; upgraded over 33,700 kilometers of roads, built or repaired 2,780 bridges, and constructed over 13,000 houses for policy beneficiaries, worth more than VND 483 billion. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many war veterans risked their lives in the lockdown areas to assist citizens. The entire VVA contributed over VND 800 billion to the anti-pandemic fund.
War veterans have also set examples in economic development and poverty reduction, as evidenced by over 8,000 small and medium-sized enterprises, over 1,300 cooperatives, more than 2,600 farming households, and over 160,000 farms led by veterans. These businesses have provided jobs and income for millions of workers, the majority of whom are war veterans and their children, and contributed greatly to the state budget and social welfare initiatives.
From these emulation movements, many exemplary collectives and individuals in all areas have emerged, highlighting the spirit of patriotism, revolutionary determination, idealism, responsibility, and humanity. Over the past five years, the VVA has been honored with two First-Class Labor Orders, the Government’s emulation flags. Dozens of provincial and municipal VVA organization have received the Independence Order, Labor Orders and other prestigious awards.
Talking about future tasks, VVA’s President emphasized that the nation is entering a new era, but also facing many difficulties and challenges, requiring the VVA to gather and motivate members to further promote the qualities and traditions of Uncle Ho’s soldiers and build a strong association, capable of successfully completing all assigned tasks.
To achieve that goal, Gen. Truong said that the association must continue to innovate its content, methods of organizing and implementing patriotic emulation movement; well conduct political education work; and ignite the patriotism, sacrifice, responsibility, and camaraderie in every war veteran.
The good traditions built over the past 35 years and achievements and experience will serve as a foundation and driving force to propel the VVA’s emulation movement to new heights and achieve even greater successes in the future.
Translated by Tran Hoai