Kim Lien Commune in Nghe An province is the childhood home of Vietnam's leading revoluntionary and first president. While the outside appears to be a modern Vietnamese town, an ancient village still remains perfectly intact. The simple wooden walls and a thatched roof once housed Nguyen Sinh Cung, the boy who grew up to become Ho Chi Minh and liberate his nation.
Ho Chi Minh's childhood home. Photo by Glen MacDonald.
Walking in the footsteps of Uncle Ho. Photo by Glen MacDonald.
As the son of a Confucian scholar, young Uncle Ho quickly realized the value of education and was instilled with worldly wonder. In addition to his education, Ho Chi Minh's father, Nguyen Sinh Sac, introduced him to national pride and revolutionary activity against the occupying French colonial forces. Freedom-fighting villagers would hide their weapons in the well nearby his home.
Nowadays, as Vietnam enjoys peacetime, Ho Chi Minh's village has been blessed with a bounty of lotus gardens. The lotus flower is emblematic of the struggles and triumphs of the Vietnamese people. Like the flower that grows above muddy areas, the Vietnamese people seem to blossom far above the hardships of the past.
Photo by Glen MacDonald.
Photo by Glen MacDonald.
Photo by Glen MacDonald.
Photo of Glen MacDonald.
Photo by Glen MacDonald.
Photo by Glen MacDonald.
Photo by Glen MacDonald.
Dozens of Vietnamese people visit the site to pay homage to their beloved leader. In the lush, natural spot, the words of Ho Chi Minh ring true; “To reap a return in ten years, plant trees. To reap a return in 100, cultivate the people.”
On the morning of March 15, amid the solemn and vibrant atmosphere of the nationwide festival in which citizens participated in the election of deputies to the 16th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026-2031 term, touching scenes were witnessed in Yen Lang Commune (Hanoi) as elderly voters leaned on canes to make their way to polling stations, leaving a deep impression on election officials and local residents.
Brilliant red flags with yellow stars line many streets, campaign posters appear across residential areas, and a wide range of communication activities are being carried out on digital platforms - these are familiar images in the days leading up to the election of deputies to the 16th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026-2031 term in Vietnam, as observed by many international friends.
The election of deputies to the 16th National Assembly and to People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026-2031 term is a major political event of the country. It demonstrates the people’s mastery, affirming the nature of the socialist rule-of-law state of the people, by the people, and for the people.
That is the general assessment made by several inspection bodies and confirmed through our recent field observations in Yen Lang Commune (Hanoi). To further clarify this matter, VietnamTimes Magazine interviewed Lo Xuan Hoa, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Committee of the commune.
On March 9 in Hanoi, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in coordination with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), organized an awareness-raising event on human trafficking aimed at forcing victims to commit crimes in scam centers. The event also introduced UNODC’s campaign #TrappedInScamCrime (#Mắcbẫytộiphạmlừađảo) in Vietnam.
On March 4 in Dak Lak Province, CARE in Vietnam, in collaboration with the Center for Community Development (CDC), officially launched the MekongElevate project titled “Green and Sustainable Adaptation for Ethnic Minority Communities.”
On March 5 in Hai Phong City, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Hai Phong City held a voter meeting with candidates for the 16th National Assembly (constituency No. 6). At the meeting, the candidates presented their action programs to voters, emphasizing a spirit of responsibility, innovation, and substantive commitments should they be elected to the National Assembly.
This figure was announced at a regular meeting held on March 4 by the Steering Committee of the project “Promoting Gender Equality through Enhancing the Economic Efficiency of Agricultural Production and Tourism Development in Lao Cai Province” (the Australia-funded GREAT 2 Lao Cai Project). The meeting aimed to review implementation progress, discuss the Year 3 activity plan, and propose budget allocations for several sub-projects.
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