Top 10 Things You Should Know About the Founding Day of the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union on March 26th

The Union is a member of the political system, operating within the framework of the Constitution and laws of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Within this system, the Party is the leader, and the Union is one of its member organizations.

Functions of the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union:

• For the Party: The Union operates under the direct leadership of the Party, serving as a reliable reserve force for the Party and a source of personnel to meet the Party's political requirements.
• For the State: The Union is a strong pillar for the State in the construction of socialism and the defense of the socialist homeland. It collaborates with State agencies, mass organizations, and social groups to educate, train, and protect the youth.
• For youth social organizations and movements: The Union plays a pivotal political role in establishing and operating the Vietnam Youth Union, Vietnam Student Association, Vietnam Young Entrepreneurs Association, and other members of the Association.
• For the Hồ Chí Minh Team: The Union is responsible for overseeing the Team, developing its organization, selecting, training, and nurturing staff for youth work, and providing the necessary material and financial support for the Team's activities.

In addition to the duties and functions within the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union, members have the following rights:

• Request the Union to represent and protect their legitimate rights, receive assistance, and be provided with conditions to strive for personal development.
• Stand for election, nominate, and vote for the leadership at all levels of the Union.
• Receive information, engage in discussions, ask questions, provide feedback, vote, make suggestions, and retain their opinions regarding the Union's activities.

Throughout its long journey of development, each phase of the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union's growth has been intertwined with the history of the nation's progress, featuring various forms of struggle and differing tasks.

The name of the Union has evolved over time as follows:

• From March 26, 1931, to 1937, the Union was called the Indochinese Communist Youth Union.
• From 1937 to 1939, it was known as the Indochinese Democratic Youth Union.
• From November 1939 to 1941, it became the Indochinese Anti-Imperialist Youth Union.
• From May 1941 to 1956, the Union was named the Vietnam National Salvation Youth Union.
• From October 25, 1956, to 1970, it was known as the Vietnam Labor Youth Union.
• From February 1970 to November 1976, it was the Hồ Chí Minh Labor Youth Union.
• Since December 1976, it has been called the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union.

The Central Committee Secretariat of the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union, also known as the Central Youth Union Secretariat, is elected from among the members of the Central Youth Union. It acts as the standing body of the Central Youth Union Standing Committee, consisting of the First Secretary and other Secretaries, representing the Standing Committee to organize, direct, guide, and oversee the implementation of the Union’s resolutions; preparing issues for the Standing Committee's review, and deciding on Union policies, youth movement initiatives, and daily organizational matters. Members of the Secretariat are referred to as the Central Youth Union Secretaries.

The members of the Secretariat of the 12th term are:

• Comrade Bùi Quang Huy (born in 1977, from Nghệ An), with a Master's degree in Law, a Bachelor's degree in Law, and advanced political theory.
• Comrade Nguyễn Ngọc Lương (born in 1978, from Thanh Hóa), with a Ph.D. in Law, a Bachelor's degree in English, and advanced political theory.
• Comrade Nguyễn Phạm Duy Trang (born in 1982, from Bình Dương), with a Master's degree in Law, a Bachelor's degree in Law, and advanced political theory.
• Comrade Ngô Văn Cương (born in 1984, from Bắc Ninh), with a Ph.D. in Economics, a Master's in Business Administration, a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, and advanced political theory.
• Comrade Nguyễn Tường Lâm (born in 1984, from Ninh Bình), with a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering and advanced political theory.
• Comrade Nguyễn Minh Triết (born in 1988, from Kiên Giang), with a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, a Master's in Aircraft Engines, a Bachelor's degree in Aircraft Engine Engineering, and advanced political theory.

These individuals possess the skills and youthful enthusiasm required to take on key leadership roles within the Youth Union. They represent the organization, capable of motivating and encouraging young members to actively engage in social activities, avoid wasting time and effort, and make the most of resources to make the movement lively and diverse.

On March 26, 1931, the Indochinese Communist Youth League (now the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union) was officially established. Over more than 90 years of development, the Union has successfully organized several national congresses and made significant contributions to the defense and construction of the nation. Notably:

The first congress, held from February 7 to 14, 1950, took place after nearly 20 years of operation under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam. At that time, it was called the Vietnam Youth Salvation Union and was hosted in Cao Văn commune (Đại Từ district, Thái Nguyên), with 400 delegates. The theme of this congress was 'Fighting and Building for the Future'. It set the task of uniting and educating the youth to actively participate in the struggle for national liberation, eradicating foreign invaders. Building on the success of this congress, thousands of youth volunteered to join various campaigns, contributing significantly to the victory at Điện Biên Phủ (May 1954).

Subsequent congresses were held in Hanoi, and today the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union has a large number of delegates. Along with the development of the country, under the leadership of the Party and President Hồ Chí Minh, the Youth Union and the generations of Vietnamese youth have continued to uphold the proud legacy of past generations. This legacy includes deep patriotism, unwavering loyalty to the Party, close ties with the nation's interests, the people, and the socialist regime; a tradition of revolutionary vigor, volunteering, and readiness to fulfill any assigned tasks excellently.

After more than 90 years of efforts and growth, the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union has continued to thrive, now with over 6.4 million members.

The frontlines of unity and youth mobilization are continuously expanding; cooperation with youth organizations from other countries, as well as international organizations, is being strengthened and reinforced; the position of Vietnamese youth on the global stage is being elevated.

On the afternoon of March 24, 2018, the Da Nang Youth Union, in collaboration with the Vietnam Record Organization, set a Vietnamese record for a Semaphore performance with 1,315 participants, showcasing the national sovereignty over the country's seas and islands. The performance lasted nearly 10 minutes, delivering the message 'Youth is ready to protect Vietnam's territorial waters – Trường Sa and Hoàng Sa belong to Vietnam.'

In celebration of the founding day of the Youth Union on March 26, this remarkable Semaphore performance was part of the camp event 'The Homeland Seen from the Sea', which took place from March 23 to 25, with 1,400 participants from 28 affiliated units of the Youth Union.

Through this camp, each sub-camp was named after islands from the Hoàng Sa and Trường Sa archipelagos, such as: Nam Yết, Tri Tôn, Ba Bình, Trường Sa Lớn... The camps were creatively designed by the units, and served as a platform for educating union members and youth about the sacred responsibility of protecting and maintaining the sovereignty of the nation’s seas and islands.

The Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union is a political-social organization for the youth of Vietnam. It was founded, led, and trained by the Communist Party of Vietnam and President Hồ Chí Minh. In the spring of 1931, from March 20 to 26, during the 2nd Central Committee meeting, the Communist Party set aside a significant portion of its agenda to discuss youth-related work and made important decisions, such as assigning Party members at all levels to oversee Youth Union activities.

As the Youth Union grew in all three regions—North, Central, and South—many local Youth Union organizations were established, with around 1,500 members. Some regions formed Youth Union organizations at the commune and district levels. The rapid growth of the Union met the urgent needs of the youth movement at that time.

In line with the proposal of the Central Committee of the Vietnamese Labor Youth Union, the 3rd National Congress, held from March 22 to 25, 1961, decided to celebrate March 26, 1931, as the glorious day for Vietnamese youth—the founding day of the Youth Union, originally called the Đông Dương Communist Youth Union. The Youth Union is regarded as the breeding ground for future leaders and managers for the Communist Party of Vietnam and is considered the 'extended arm' of the state.

In the early days of its establishment, the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union consisted of only 8 members, including:

1. Comrade Lê Hữu Trọng, codename Lý Tự Trọng
2. Comrade Đinh Chương Long, codename Lý Văn Minh
3. Comrade Vương Thúc Thoại, codename Lý Thúc Chất
4. Comrade Hoàng Tự, codename Lý Anh Tự (sometimes read as Tợ)
5. Comrade Ngô Trí Thông, codename Lý Trí Thông
6. Comrade Ngô Hậu Đức, codename Lý Phương Đức (female)
7. Comrade Nguyễn Thị Tích, codename Lý Phương Thuận (female)
8. Comrade Nguyễn Sinh Thản, codename Lý Nam Thanh

The Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union is recognized for its mission to tirelessly strive for the ideals of the Party and President Hồ Chí Minh, to actively engage in studying, labor, and self-improvement, to participate in social activities, and to contribute to the construction and defense of the homeland.

Members must set an example by adhering to and encouraging young people to follow the Party's policies, the State’s laws, and Party directives. They are tasked with helping build and protect the Party and the government. Following the Union's Charter and resolutions, they actively promote the Union’s activities among youth, participate in regular Union meetings, and pay Union fees as required.

Members also closely connect with youth, working to build the Vietnam Youth Union, the Vietnam Student Association, and the Hồ Chí Minh Vanguard Team, assisting youth and young members in becoming full Union members.