Distinguished leaders and former leaders of the Party, State, and Vietnam Fatherland Front,
Distinguished delegates, distinguished guests, international friends,
Esteemed Congress, compatriots and soldiers nationwide, and Vietnamese people abroad,
Today, I am very pleased to attend the 12th National Congress of the Vietnam Red Cross Society for the 2026-2031 term, on the occasion when the entire Society is preparing to celebrate its 80th founding anniversary — a glorious journey of compassion, dedication, and silent contributions for humanity. Under the leadership of the Party and the care and guidance of President Ho Chi Minh — the founder and the first Honorary President of the Society — the Vietnam Red Cross Society has continuously grown, remained closely connected with the people, been present in areas facing difficulties and hardships, and increasingly affirmed its position both domestically and internationally.
On behalf of the Party and State leadership, I warmly welcome and extend my sincere greetings and best wishes to Party and State leaders, delegates, distinguished guests, international friends, and generations of Red Cross officials, members, volunteers, youths and teenagers nationwide.
I sincerely appreciate and am deeply honored to assume the position of Honorary President of the Vietnam Red Cross Society. This is not only a great honor but also a responsibility before the Party, the State, the people, and those who need protection, support and compassion. Together with the Politburo and the Secretariat, I will pay close attention to providing leadership and favorable conditions so that the Society can continue to innovate, improve the effectiveness of its operations, and successfully fulfill its noble humanitarian mission.
Esteemed Congress,
The past term took place amid many complex developments both globally and domestically. Conflicts, natural disasters, epidemics, climate change, migration, and non-traditional security challenges have increased new forms of vulnerability, while humanitarian resources remain extremely limited. Therefore, the international Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is shifting strongly toward grassroots action, strengthening early warning systems, preventing risks, and improving community resilience. With 192 National Societies and tens of millions of volunteers, the strength of the Movement lies in its long-term presence, close connection with communities, and ability to respond promptly.
In this context, the Vietnam Red Cross Society has made continuous efforts to innovate its content and methods of operation, promoting its core role as a humanitarian organization, a bridge and a coordinator in humanitarian activities. Activities in healthcare support, first aid, blood donation, tissue donation advocacy, disaster prevention and response, livelihood assistance, support for the poor and care for vulnerable groups have become increasingly practical and in-depth. During the term, the total value of activities related to disaster prevention, disaster response and climate change adaptation reached more than VND 1.646 trillion, providing assistance to more than 2.6 million people. The Society has gradually renewed its approach to mobilizing and utilizing resources, strengthened publicity and transparency, expanded participation from businesses, organizations, individuals, benefactors and overseas Vietnamese communities; while consolidating its network of officials, members, volunteers, and Red Cross youths and teenagers. Behind these figures are human lives warmed by compassion; homes rebuilt after storms and floods; patients receiving life-saving blood; children able to continue their education; families receiving livelihood support; and people facing hardship who are not left alone or abandoned.
On behalf of the Party and State leadership, I highly commend the achievements made by the Vietnam Red Cross Society, and sincerely acknowledge the dedication and contributions of generations of Red Cross officials, members and volunteers, as well as the support and cooperation of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, ministries, sectors, localities, armed forces, businesses, social organizations, benefactors, overseas Vietnamese communities and people nationwide.
The Party, State and people of Vietnam look forward to continuing to receive cooperation from the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, international organizations and development partners, contributing to enhancing humanitarian capacity, strengthening friendship and solidarity, and promoting peace and sustainable development.
Esteemed Congress,
Our country is entering a new era of development, with the goal of becoming a developed, high-income country by 2045. Vietnam is promoting rapid and sustainable growth, advancing science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, institutional reform and improvements in the quality of people’s lives. However, the deepest measure of development remains human-centered: whether vulnerable people are protected, whether those facing risks receive support, and whether every citizen has opportunities to rise and improve their lives.
A strong Vietnam must also be a compassionate Vietnam; a modern society must be a society that knows how to share; and a developed nation must respect and protect the dignity and safety of every individual. Therefore, humanitarian work cannot be limited to relief efforts only when natural disasters, epidemics or emergencies occur. It must become an integral part of the strategy for human development, social welfare assurance, risk governance and strengthening community resilience.
We must shift from passive response to proactive prevention; from post-disaster relief to early warning and early action; from simple donation-based assistance to livelihood support, capacity recovery and opportunities for development; and from isolated programs to a humanitarian ecosystem that connects the State, society, businesses and citizens. The best form of assistance is not only helping people overcome immediate difficulties, but also enabling them to become self-reliant and achieve long-term stability.
I basically agree with the orientations, objectives, key targets and six action programs outlined in the Political Report submitted to the Congress. To successfully implement the Resolution of the 12th National Congress of the Vietnam Red Cross Society, I propose that the 12th Central Executive Committee of the Society and Red Cross organizations at all levels focus on implementing five key tasks.
First, comprehensively improve institutions and legal frameworks, and enhance the effectiveness of law enforcement related to vulnerable groups. It is necessary to promote education, training, livelihood development support, sustainable employment creation and community integration for vulnerable groups. We must move from emergency relief toward proactive prevention, preparedness and strengthening community resilience. The Society needs to engage more deeply in community-based risk management; develop early warning systems, local response forces, first-aid networks and safe community models. Each commune, ward and special administrative zone should gradually establish trained volunteer teams with action plans and the ability to provide timely assistance to vulnerable groups, especially children, the elderly, people with disabilities, people suffering from serious illnesses, and residents in remote, border and island areas.
Emergency relief must be linked with housing recovery, access to clean water, healthcare, psychological support, livelihood restoration and community reconstruction.
After initial relief efforts, the Society must continue accompanying people to ensure they can truly stabilize their lives. Alongside disaster response, greater preparedness is needed for public health risks, accidents and mental health crises. Every school, agency, factory and community should have more people equipped with first-aid skills, as this is a practical capability that can save lives during the first critical moments of accidents and emergencies.
Second, continue promoting the Society’s core role as a humanitarian organization, a bridge and a coordinator. The Vietnam Red Cross Society must become a trusted destination for people in difficulty to seek help, a place where compassionate individuals can entrust their support, and a platform where organizations, businesses and benefactors can join hands in humanitarian action. All activities must place people at the center, originate from actual needs and measure success through improvements in the lives of beneficiaries. Priority must be given to those most in need, particularly people who are unable to speak up for themselves or who have not been fully reached by policies and social services. No one should be left behind because of geographical distance, administrative procedures or technological limitations. The Society must proactively identify humanitarian gaps, avoid duplication, fragmentation and formalism. Relief efforts must be rapid and timely; assistance must have clear objectives, monitoring mechanisms and impact assessments. All activities must respect the dignity, privacy and choices of those receiving assistance. Providing support must go hand in hand with respect, because humanitarianism begins with recognizing every person as having equal dignity.
Third, strongly innovate humanitarian governance, mobilize and effectively utilize all social resources. Trust is the most valuable resource in humanitarian activities. Therefore, the Society must place transparency, integrity and accountability at the center of its operations. All contributions must be received, managed and allocated for the right purposes. Donors have the right to know where resources are used, who benefits from them and what results they generate. Beneficiaries have the right to provide feedback on whether assistance is appropriate, fair and timely. Humanitarian effectiveness should not be measured only by the amount of resources mobilized, the number of relief packages delivered or the number of people assisted. More importantly, it must be measured by real changes in people’s lives, their ability to restore livelihoods, reduce losses, and ensure that resources reach the right people, at the right time and according to the right needs.
Red Cross organizations at all levels need to develop criteria for evaluating results, strengthen inspection, auditing, social supervision and the publication of clear, verifiable information. Mistakes must be addressed promptly; legitimate feedback from the people must be seriously received and handled. The Society needs to innovate resource mobilization toward a long-term and sustainable approach; expand cooperation with businesses, financial institutions, healthcare facilities, universities, research institutes, social organizations and overseas Vietnamese communities. Businesses should be encouraged to participate through financial resources, technology, logistics, human resources, management expertise and professional capabilities. Step by step, the Society should develop humanitarian financial instruments, risk reserve funds and early disbursement mechanisms to proactively respond before and immediately after disasters.
Fourth, urgently develop a unified humanitarian database and promote digital transformation in humanitarian activities. The Society needs to urgently establish a unified humanitarian database, appropriately connected with national databases and social welfare systems. It should apply big data, artificial intelligence, mapping technologies and digital platforms to identify needs, reduce duplication, coordinate resources, provide early warnings, manage volunteers and assess impacts. Digital transformation must make the Society’s operations faster, more transparent, reduce administrative procedures and intermediary costs, and better serve the people. The collection and use of data must ensure safety, confidentiality and respect for privacy rights. The Society must also improve its capacity to verify information, provide accurate information and address misinformation during natural disasters, epidemics and emergency situations. Reliable communication must become an important component of humanitarian capacity and disaster management.
Fifth, build a strong, professional and modern Red Cross Society; promote the strength of officials, members and volunteers while expanding international cooperation. People are the decisive factor determining the quality and reputation of humanitarian activities. Every Red Cross official, member and volunteer must serve as an example of compassion, integrity, responsibility and dedication to serving the people. Red Cross organizations at all levels need to consolidate their structures toward being streamlined, practical, effective and efficient; overcoming bureaucratization, formalism and distance from grassroots communities. Officials must stay close to the people, understand their needs, be capable of identifying challenges, mobilizing social resources, coordinating assistance and responding in emergency situations. The Society needs to develop a broad volunteer network while emphasizing quality, skills and professionalism; ensuring appropriate recruitment, training, assignment and safety. Step by step, specialized volunteer teams should be established in areas such as first aid, healthcare support, rescue operations, psychological assistance, logistics, technology, communications and disaster management.
On this occasion, I propose that the Ministry of Health, healthcare facilities, doctors and nurses continue to closely coordinate with the Vietnam Red Cross Society, jointly spreading the “Florence Nightingale Spirit” — the spirit of compassion, dedication, courage and tireless service to humanity. It is necessary to identify, train, nominate and honor outstanding individuals in patient care, disease prevention and control, disaster and catastrophe response, and community health protection. The Society must strictly implement the seven fundamental principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, while expanding cooperation, exchanging experience, training human resources, mobilizing resources and receiving advanced technologies. Vietnam should not only receive humanitarian assistance but also gradually enhance its capacity to support other countries when they face natural disasters, catastrophes and humanitarian crises. The Society’s international humanitarian activities should become a meaningful channel of people-to-people diplomacy, spreading the image of Vietnam as a peaceful, compassionate, faithful and responsible nation.
Esteemed Congress,
For the Vietnam Red Cross Society to successfully fulfill the above-mentioned tasks, efforts by the Society alone are not sufficient. I request that Party committees at all levels continue to provide leadership and create favorable conditions for the Society to promote its core role, bridging function and coordination capacity, while respecting the Society’s initiative, voluntary nature and unique characteristics, and avoiding the administrative formalization of humanitarian activities. The entire political system, from the central to local levels, should continue to improve mechanisms and policies, strengthen coordination, share information and mobilize resources, creating conditions for the Society to engage more deeply in disaster prevention and response, community healthcare, first aid, blood donation, social assistance and international humanitarian activities.
The healthcare sector should closely coordinate with the Society in blood donation, tissue donation, first-aid training, disease prevention and control, and support for disadvantaged patients. The education sector, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, media agencies and social organizations should nurture compassion, volunteer spirit, essential skills and community responsibility among the younger generation. I call on the business community, organizations, individuals, benefactors, overseas Vietnamese and international friends to continue accompanying the Society through resources, knowledge, technology and responsibility. Every contribution, if delivered to the right place, at the right time and used transparently, can save a life, preserve a family, restore a livelihood and bring hope to those in need.
Esteemed Congress,
For generations, the Vietnamese nation has cultivated traditions of patriotism, solidarity, compassion and the moral values of “loving and helping others as oneself” and “the healthy leaves protect and support the torn leaves.” These are not only beautiful expressions of the Vietnamese spirit but also a source of strength that has helped our people overcome wars, natural disasters, epidemics and countless challenges throughout history. During his lifetime, President Ho Chi Minh paid special attention to humanitarian work, calling for compassion to be transformed into concrete and practical actions to care for the poor, vulnerable groups and those facing hardship. This spirit must continue to serve as the guiding principle for all activities of the Vietnam Red Cross Society. Compassion only truly carries meaning when it is transformed into action. A humane society is not only one where many people are willing to share and support one another, but also one with trustworthy and capable organizations that can deliver assistance to the right people, at the right time and according to their actual needs.
I firmly believe that, with its glorious 80-year tradition, the spirit of solidarity, innovation, professionalism and humanity, together with the leadership of the Party, the management of the State and the companionship of the entire society, the Vietnam Red Cross Society will continue to make strong innovations and successfully fulfill its noble mission. The Vietnam Red Cross Society will become a symbol of trust and sharing, ensuring that every person facing hardship knows they are not alone, and that everyone with a compassionate heart has a reliable platform to join humanitarian action. Together, we will contribute to building a strong, prosperous, civilized and happy Vietnam.
Once again, I wish the 12th National Congress of the Vietnam Red Cross Society great success.
I wish Party and State leaders, delegates, distinguished guests, international friends, and all Red Cross officials, members, volunteers, youths and teenagers nationwide good health, happiness and success.
Thank you very much.
