Resilience forged in adversity
In recent days, Truong My Le (affectionately known as Tu Liem), former Acting Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCMCYU) of HCMC cum Standing Deputy Head of the Traditional Club under the city’s HCMCYU, has been tirelessly working alongside her former comrades, preparing for the 75th-anniversary commemoration of the student movement’s tradition, fulfilling her role as a “torchbearer”.
“I’m currently preparing several programs hosted by the HCMCYU for students. Though tiring, it’s a joyful experience, reinforcing my sense of purpose,” Tu Liem shared.
For two decades, the Traditional Club’s performing arts troupe, which she founded, has diligently used the songs of past generations to inspire those succeeding them. Tu Liem also dedicates considerable time to participating in student experience exchange sessions, undertaking commemorative activities honoring families with meritorious contributions to the revolution, and actively supporting the material and spiritual well-being of communities in former resistance strongholds.
Recalling 15 years of resistance, Tu Liem vividly remembers arduous marches, capture, and brutal torture. Enemy oppression, she noted, only strengthened the movement, fueling youth’s patriotism and resolve. Having dedicated 50 years to passing down traditions and national values, she urges today’s youth to prioritize study and self-improvement, continuing their ancestors’ legacy and leading in all areas.
Pham Chanh Truc – former Standing Deputy Secretary of the HCMC Party Committee, former Chairman of the HCMC People’s Council, former Secretary of the HCMCYU-HCMC shared that today’s students are highly knowledgeable and capable in science and technology, warranting close organizational support. The Student Association must guide them and prevent them from succumbing to temptations.
The Party and State provide increasing support for student development through policies and resources, strengthening leadership in youth affairs. Effective leadership, he believes, requires a strong movement, thus he proposes entrusting significant responsibilities to the younger generation to foster their growth into well-rounded successors.
Tran Thu Ha – Deputy Secretary of the HCMCYU-HCMC cum President of the HCMC Student Association voiced that as the city is preparing for a new era of national advancement, students must actively contribute. They should cultivate revolutionary ethics, preserve national heritage, and pioneer in accessing new knowledge, mastering technology, and driving innovation and digital transformation, continuing the legacy of volunteerism.
Dr. Nguyen Quoc Vinh – Head of the Basic Sciences Faculty (HCMC University of Law) expressed his opinion that strengthening political theory education is crucial to guide students and enable practical application of knowledge. Universities should support student involvement in local and national political activities through partnerships with socio-political organizations, Government agencies, or NGOs. Fostering discussion and critical thinking environments will cultivate robust political awareness and prevent erroneous ideologies.
Spreading the spirit of learning and dedication
Having participated in trips to visit veterans of the Vietnamese student movement, attended music performances, and shared in accounts of the student movement’s heroic revolutionary tradition, Nguyen Quoc Trung, a chemistry student at the University of Science (Vietnam National University - HCM), feels immense pride. These examples inspire him to strive for greater achievements.
Currently a third-year student, Quoc Trung has earned the respect of his peers for his impressive record, including the publication of 11 articles in prestigious international and national scientific journals and the leadership of two grassroots research projects focused on utilizing natural products for health protection.
Quoc Trung is also a prominent “5-Good Student” exemplar at Vietnam National University – HCM and is among the 10 young talents sponsored by the HCMC Young Talent Sponsorship Fund. Notably, Quoc Trung is one of 14 exemplary HCMC Young Citizens in 2024 and consistently promotes a spirit of dedication, helping nurture young talents’ passion for research.
Amidst the preparations for the Lunar New Year, Huynh Anh Thu, a 9th-grade student at Nguyen Du Junior High School in Go Vap District (HCMC), is busily crafting keychains to sell for the “Connecting Love” fundraising campaign. Since the 2nd grade, Anh Thu has saved her prize money and used piggy banks to support disadvantaged peers.
This experience has instilled in Anh Thu a strong sense of social responsibility, leading her to actively participate in school-led movement activities. Embodying the principle of “Small deeds make a big difference,” she has not only been an academically excellent student for eight consecutive years but is also a prominent figure within the Ho Chi Minh Young Pioneer Organization, recognized as an exemplary HCMC Young Citizen in 2023 for her contributions to enhancing the quality of activities promoting children’s participation in issues affecting them.
As HCMC’s Reading Culture Ambassador for the 2024-2025 term, Anh Thu aspires to further promote reading culture among her peers, contributing to the expansion and development of a civilized reading society. Anh Thu is also a member of the Young Historians Club under the HCMC Children’s House.
On January 9, 1950, the National Salvation Youth Union and the Saigon-Cho Lon Student Union mobilized students from various schools and numerous teachers to stage a demonstration demanding improved security for students’ studies, the release of arrested students, and the reopening of schools. The demonstration was brutally suppressed, resulting in the sacrifice of Tran Van On, a student at Petrus Ky School (now Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted).
The bloody suppression of January 9, 1950, and Tran Van On’s heroic fighting spirit ignited hatred for the enemy and a resolute determination to resist the invading French colonialists and their collaborators among the students and people of Saigon-Cho Lon.
Inspired by and acknowledging the indomitable spirit of Tran Van On and the students in the early days of the resistance, the first National Congress of the Vietnam Youth Federation, held in Viet Bac in February 1950, resolved to designate January 9 annually as the Traditional Day of Students.
