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Representatives of SSGGP Newspaper and YBA take souvenir photos at the signing ceremony. |
The "Vietnam Stronger" project, the first season of an inspiring art program with the theme "Phu Dong's Dream," can be seen as a notable collaborative effort between the Sai Gon Giai Phong (SGGP) Newspaper and the Young Businesspeople Association of Ho Chi Minh City (YBA).
Because, beyond their professional activities, community programs and projects are united by a shared objective to join hands and help those facing difficult circumstances overcome challenges, ensuring that no one is left behind. The commitment has been realized through specific and practical actions.
Ms. BUI THI HONG SUONG, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of SGGP Newspaper and Co-Chair of the Organizing Committee for the Vietnam Stronger program: Serving the community is both a noble responsibility and a lofty mission.
During its 48-year journey of formation and growth, SGGP Newspaper has consistently displayed its resilience and pivotal role, earning the unwavering trust of readers nationwide. Beyond its core political and propaganda responsibilities, the SGGP Newspaper team has steadfastly upheld the tradition of passing down values from one generation to the next through community and social programs.
SGGP Newspaper views this not only as its mission but also as its duty. Many community and social programs, some with a history spanning up to 20 or 30 years, organized or co-organized by SGGP Newspaper, have yielded practical and tangible results. Every year, the newspaper strives to introduce even more meaningful and pragmatic initiatives.
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Ms. Bui Thi Hong Suong, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of SGGP Newspaper |
It is clearly demonstrated by the initiatives of the "Igniting Hope - Overcoming Difficulties to Go to School" program. Within just six months of its launch in March 2023, the program has successfully raised VND12 billion. Out of this sum, VND10 billion has been earmarked for constructing a two-story classroom building in Binh Duong Province, with an anticipated completion date in early 2024.
As for the remaining funds, SGGP Newspaper has allocated VND500 million to build a classroom in Huong Hoa District, Quang Tri Province, and, in collaboration with its generous sponsors, has established libraries in Bac Lieu, Soc Trang, Ben Tre, and Lam Dong provinces.
The Vietnam Stronger program is also a continuation of tradition and a commitment of SGGP Newspaper to the mission of joining hands for the community, especially the desire to nurture future generations through meaningful activities, bringing the light of knowledge, sharing and providing material support, and improving the quality of education to children in remote and border areas with countless difficulties and deprivation in all aspects.
Because of these noble purposes and meaningful ideals, SGGP Newspaper and YBA have been making concerted and determined efforts to jointly organize and implement this humanitarian program.
We hopes that the first season of the Vietnam Stronger program will surpass our objectives so that initiatives like "Igniting Hope - Overcoming Difficulties to Go to School" and the "House of Knowledge" project can have a more powerful impact. Our aim is not only to provide students with the tools of knowledge but also to strive for a broader and more significant goal: to equip them with the necessary material and spiritual conditions to nurture, grow, and support their dreams and hopes for the future of our nation, much like the story of Phu Dong Thien Vuong (Heavenly Prince of Phu Dong).
Mr. LE ANH TU, Vice Chairman of YBA and Co-Chair of the Organizing Committee for the Vietnam Stronger program: Unity in the pursuit of “Phu Dong's Dream”
When we initiated the "House of Knowledge" project (Container Library) five years ago, it allowed us to visit numerous remote and underserved areas, where we witnessed the challenges and essential resource shortages faced by children. In many of these regions, schools lacked libraries, study materials were insufficient, and some children even struggled to secure proper meals to support their education.
This situation is reminiscent of the art of cultivating bonsai trees, where small, young trees are carefully shaped into beautiful creations over time. Educating people, however, is a much more intricate and demanding task. This situation prompts the question: What can we do starting today to nurture, care for, and create the best possible conditions for the development of our country's future generations, ensuring a strong and prosperous Vietnam down the road?
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Mr. LE ANH TU, Vice Chairman of YBA |
I firmly believe that SGGP Newspaper and YBA have discovered a shared vision and consensus regarding the humanitarian purpose and significance of joining hands to carry out the first season of Vietnam Stronger under the theme "Phu Dong's Dream." This program will build upon the community-focused activities that both organizations have pursued in the past. Simultaneously, it will persist in offering support and creating favorable conditions for children to access optimal opportunities from a young age, thereby establishing a robust foundation for their future growth.
Through this program, our goal is to provide greater support to children in underserved areas by establishing modern libraries complete with books and essential educational materials, ensuring they have the optimal physical and mental conditions for their daily learning needs. With this library model, we aim to create an engaging, flexible, and creative learning environment that aligns with the children's psychological needs.
This approach will help instill the habit of reading from a young age and contribute to character development, forming a robust foundation for them to nurture grander aspirations and become responsible citizens, much like the story of Phu Dong Thien Vuong, in the endeavor to build a resilient Vietnam.
We also acknowledge the current reality, where economic and living conditions continue to present numerous challenges. Nevertheless, as we join hands to implement the Phu Dong’s Dream program in collaboration with SGGP Newspaper, we hope this inspirational art program will convey profoundly meaningful values to the community.
Possibly, there will be sponsors willing to contribute VND50 million or even VND100 million, and that is a truly valuable gesture. However, we are mindful of our own limitations, yet we recognize the boundless potential of collective human effort. Let’s picture the Hoa Binh Theater auditorium with 2,000 spectators, each person donating just VND1 million; this would result in VND2 billion to support underprivileged children in remote and border areas. That is truly remarkable.
We hold the belief that, despite the challenges, there are still many benevolent individuals among us. This is why the organizers hope that the positive impact of Vietnam Stronger - Phu Dong’s Dream will elicit empathy, foster increased sharing, and inspire collaboration within the community.
The first season of the inspirational art program "Vietnam Stronger," themed "Phu Dong's Dream," is dedicated to rallying social involvement and efficiently allocating resources to bolster the "Igniting Hope - Overcoming Difficulties to Go to School" initiative by SGGP Newspaper and the YBA Project - "The House of Knowledge" (Container Library), under the auspices of the Golden Hearts Fund, led by the YBA.
In addition to supporting the "Igniting Hope - Overcoming Difficulties to Go to School" program by SGGP Newspaper, the program's goal is to raise resources for at least two "House of Knowledge" projects (Container Libraries), each valued at approximately VND500 million per project, after deducting for organizing the program. These libraries will be donated to areas situated in remote, far-flung, and particularly challenging border regions, where schools either lack libraries or, if they do exist, they are in a state of disrepair and cannot meet the necessary standards for effective teaching and learning.
The program is scheduled for the evening of October 13 at the Hoa Binh Theater, located at No.240 3 Thang 2 (February 3) Street, Ward 12, District 10, HCMC. It will feature the participation of a variety of artists, including the family of circus performer Quoc Nghiep, singer Ngoc Mai, and their son Hung Tam, as well as singers Phuong My Chi, Nguyen Phi Hung, Vo Ha Tram, and Myra Tran, composer-singers Hua Kim Tuyen and Vo Viet Phuong, International Ecotourism Beauty Queen 2021 - singer Bella Vu, and the Phuong Viet dance troupe. MC Nguyen Khang will be hosting the program.
For those audience members interested in participating and contributing to the propagation of these meaningful values in the community, scanning the QR code will provide them with access to ticket purchasing and additional information.
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