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| Party General Secretary To Lam speaks at the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress. (Photo: VNA) |
Hanoi (VNA) - Party General Secretary To Lam has called on exemplary individuals honoured at the ongoing 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress to continue maintaining their passion and serving as catalysts for wider impact of patriotic emulation movements nationwide.
Addressing the congress, which officially opened in Hanoi on December 27 morning, General Secretary Lam affirmed that patriotic emulation is a cherished tradition of the Vietnamese nation. The congress is an occasion to honour the most outstanding individuals and collectives in the patriotic emulation, he said, noting that many delegates are heroes and national emulators, while others are exemplary individuals selected and nominated from the grassroots level.
Across the fields of economy, culture, society, national defence, security and foreign affairs; in all regions, from urban to rural areas, border and island localities; among different ethnic groups and religions, there are ordinary people who have achieved extraordinary accomplishments, the Party chief stressed.
What is the most commendable about these advanced role models is not only their achievements or their will to overcome difficulties, but the qualities that underpin those achievements: integrity, dedication, responsibility, discipline, creativity and a strong sense of community; placing collective interests above personal ones; regarding honour as sacred and noble; and taking work effectiveness as the true measure of labour quality, he said.
General Secretary Lam called on authorities at all levels, sectors, localities, families and individuals to further improve the finding, nurturing and replication of role models; to communicate accurately and tell stories of “real people, real deeds”; to promptly encourage good examples, innovative initiatives and effective practices; while resolutely combating formalism and the pursuit of superficial or inflated achievements.
The Party leader said that quality and effectiveness must be the benchmark and practical contributions must be the basis, with a focus on frontline workers and grassroots levels. The 2022 Law on Emulation and Commendation highlights the principles of openness, transparency and timeliness. Accordingly, emulation and commendation must become a source of motivation, trust and fairness everywhere, ensuring that every effort and contribution is recognised, respected and honoured.
In the new revolutionary period, patriotic emulation must evolve into a dynamic ecosystem in which sound policies are translated into concrete action. Political tasks should be transformed into a sense of responsibility, specific tasks and clear goals, so that every citizen sees themselves as a key actor in development, a shaper of the future, and a beneficiary of the fruits of labour and creativity, he noted.
Serving the people as benchmark
The Party chief stressed that emulation movements must closely follow political tasks and specific goals, using results that benefit the people as the key measure of success. Each movement must have clear actions, measurable criteria, and verifiable outcomes, ensuring steady progress and tangible results, he said, adding that at every level, completing assigned duties and better serving the public should be regarded as both a responsibility and a matter of honour.
General Secretary Lam emphasised the importance of emulation in promoting innovation, scientific and technological development, and digital transformation, saying that such efforts should aim to raise productivity, enhance governance, and promote digital economy, digital society, and digital government. Properly implementing newly-issued resolutions in 2025 will provide an “endless well of resources and inspiration” to achieve remarkable successes in patriotic emulation movements, he noted.
He said that the emulation movement for a professional, ethical, and modern administration must focus on discipline, accountability, and leading by example; streamlining administrative procedures; improving service quality; and reducing compliance costs. Agencies must eliminate avoidance and passing-the-buck, ensuring that “words are matched by actions,” and measure the quality of its public services by the time, cost, and convenience it provides to citizens and businesses.
The Party leader also underlined the need to promote emulation in culture and education development, health care, and social welfare to improve quality of life, saying that efforts should make society more humane and compassionate, with better care for war veterans and vulnerable groups. Every locality, sector, and agency must implement specific initiatives, such as safe and high-quality schools, friendly and efficient hospitals, and disciplined yet caring communities.
He called for emulation in developing a healthy and efficient private sector, aimed at improving the corporate quality and national competitiveness. Emulation movements should be closely linked to green transition and sustainable development, with attention must be paid to energy conservation, efficient resource use, emission reduction, and environmental protection, while fostering a circular economy and a responsible and civilised way of life, the Party leader said, adding that these serve both as a long-term objective and an immediate priority to safeguard energy, water, food, and environmental security, as well as the people’s quality of life, towards rapid, sustainable and forward-looking development.
The Party General Secretary emphasised that emulation efforts should target the grassroot level, and prioritise remote areas, border regions, and islands, while recognising the contributions of frontline workers and hands-on labourers. The movement should extend to every individual, family, village, residential area, industrial zone, school, and hospital, ensuring that all have clear goals, a strong desire to contribute, and the opportunity to achieve results in the movement.
He stressed the need for emulation in strengthening national defence and security, maintaining political stability and social order, firmly safeguarding the country’s independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity, and proactively addressing non-traditional security challenges. Each locality, force, and sector must build a strong grassroots foundation to ensure peace and safety for the people and support development.
The Party chief said patriotic emulation should inspire every individual and collective to live better, more meaningful, and compassionate lives. Patriotic emulation movements should cultivate kindness, responsibility, and solidarity, encouraging support for the vulnerable, and mutual aid in difficult times.
Every organisation should view community service as both a duty and an honour, while each individual embraces doing good as a natural way of life, allowing the movement to flow as a humanistic force that fosters trust, spreads compassion, and creates a life that is not only materially abundant but also warm and meaningful, he said.
The General Secretary called for reforming the emulation and commendation work to ensure it is substantive, transparent, and timely, noting that the 2022 Law on Emulation and Commendation provides a key framework to standardise criteria and procedures, ensuring fair recognition.
Emphasisng that the patriotic emulation movements are sustainable only when they are well-organised, properly supervised, and widely promoted, the Party chief urged Party committees and authorities at all levels to uphold President Ho Chi Minh’s vision on patriotic emulation. He called for innovations in launching and evaluating movements, strengthened inspections and corrections, thus creating an environment where good people and good deeds are recognised promptly.
Media outlets were demanded to highlight the value of emulation movements, towards fostering patriotism, national pride, and the desire to contribute to the nation’s development.
The Party leader expressed his hope that outstanding individuals recognised at the congress would keep their enthusiasm alive and continue to inspire broader participation in patriotic emulation movements across the country.
He urged them to set personal emulation goals - studying more effectively, working with greater efficiency, and being more disciplined, creative, enthusiastic, and responsible, emphasising that as individuals improve and organisations grow stronger, the entire nation and its people will make significant progress.
At the congress, delegates watched a documentary reviewing the implementation of patriotic emulation movements and commendation work during the 2021–2025 period, and discussed goals and orientations for the 2026–2030 stage.
Within the congress's framework, exemplary individuals, including Heroes of Labour and Heroes of the People’s Armed Forces, outstanding figures in emulation movements during 2021–2025, Vietnamese citizens with remarkable achievements and significant contributions to society, and athletes who achieved high results at the 33rd SEA Games, shared their stories of success.
On behalf of Party and State leaders, Party General Secretary To Lam presented the title of Hero of the People’s Armed Forces, while State President Luong Cuong awarded the title of Hero of Labour to outstanding collectives and individuals./.
