Ngan Ha, in charge of the Homeland Choir:
The passing of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is a great loss for all Vietnamese people at home and abroad. He left many deep impressions in the hearts of people both at home and abroad, not only because of his leadership talent but also because of his closeness and affection.
The Homeland Choir was honoured to welcome General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong at the Vietnam Cultural Centre in France on March 27, 2018, on the occasion of the General Secretary and the Vietnamese high-ranking delegation's official visit to the French Republic. During this meeting, the Homeland Choir performed two songs: “Beloved Fatherland” and “The Country of Love”.
In the song “Beloved Fatherland”, there is a lyric which states: “Oh Fatherland, has it ever been as beautiful as today, we are living in the glorious days of the beloved Fatherland, the heroic Vietnamese Fatherland.” Singing those lyrics, the Homeland Choir wanted to express gratitude to the country and homeland, and especially wanted to give a spiritual gift to the General Secretary.
After the performance, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong took a photo with the Homeland Choir and encouraged the members, most of whom are students, to study hard for the future of the Fatherland. His words of encouragement have given more motivation to the young people, helping them to firmly step forward on the path of studying and contributing.
The emotions of everyone when meeting the highest leader of the Party and State were impressive. He was not as distant as many people often thought, but on the contrary, he was very affectionate, enthusiastic, and close. His passing is a great loss, but his memories and advice will forever be in the hearts of every Vietnamese person.
Nguyen Phan Bao Thuy, President of the Association of Vietnamese Youth and Students in France:
It can be said that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is a person with a great leadership role and contribution to the country, especially in consolidating the political system and fighting corruption. In many positions assigned by the Party, State and people, he and the Party Central Committee, the Politburo, and the Secretariat have made many correct and wise decisions, bringing about clear positive changes. Officials in the administrative system have a great sense of awareness and ideology to fully perform their duties. The General Secretary devoted his whole life to the people.
In particular, with the orientation of “bamboo diplomacy” in Vietnam, the General Secretary has shaped the diplomatic style for the new era, which is appropriate and accurate for the rapidly changing and complex world situation. Vietnam's position in the international arena has been clearly enhanced and affirmed.
The General Secretary has always followed the moral example and simple lifestyle of the great President Ho Chi Minh, wholeheartedly devoted so that our country can stand shoulder to shoulder with the world powers.
Not only one individual, but millions of Vietnamese people will always love, be grateful, and always engrave in their hearts the image of a simple, sincere, talented and dedicated leader.
The young generation, especially the overseas student community, has felt that spirit, contributing purely with all their heart and mind to improve themselves and make practical contributions to their homeland and country, wherever they are.
Nguyen Minh Duc, former President of the Vietnamese Youth and Students Association in France:
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| Nguyen Minh Duc spoke at the meeting between General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and the Vietnamese community in France in Paris on March 27, 2018. |
The passing of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is a great loss to the country and the Vietnamese people.
General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong was a great personality, a great example, who followed the moral example and simple lifestyle of the great President Ho Chi Minh throughout his life, was capable of uniting the entire people, and had a great influence and brought great confidence to the entire people.
The recognition of the people for General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is the sweet fruit of a long process of more than 13 years of leadership in the highest position. Those were also years of outstanding economic development when Vietnam continuously achieved a growth rate of 6-7%. This shows the stability of the political and social system in the context of a world with complicated and unpredictable fluctuations. The increasingly enhanced position of Vietnam in the international arena is highlighted by the “bamboo diplomacy” policy — considering everyone as friends while aiming for the good and noble goals of peace and friendship.
As the one who had the honour to welcome and speak before General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong during his official visit to the French Republic in 2018, I was very proud to represent the Vietnamese youths, students, and community in France to express my thoughts to the General Secretary.
At that time, I reported to the General Secretary about the contributions of the Association of Vietnamese Youth and Students in France towards the homeland, originating from the hearts and feelings of the youth far from the Fatherland. And I do not forget my feelings when I say that “those aspirations and feelings also come from our firm belief in the socio-economic achievements that Vietnam has achieved under the leadership of the General Secretary.”
Clearly, in the process of leading the country, the General Secretary played a very important role in making the people unite, absolutely trust in the vision for the future, in the bright heart of a person, for the people and for the country.
Mai Ba Duong, Permanent Vice President of the Association of Vietnamese Youth and Students in France:
Upon hearing the news of the passing of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, I was extremely saddened. Under the leadership of the General Secretary in recent years, Vietnam has had strong development, risen and achieved many great achievements in many fields and raised its position in the international arena.
Vietnam and its people today have received much attention and admiration from international friends, just as the General Secretary once said: Our country has never had the foundation it has today.
As one of the young people studying abroad, I always take that as a motivation and strive to develop myself every day to become a useful person and be able to contribute a little bit of my effort to the development of the country and the common progress.
General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong often repeated lines that I have always appreciated from the famous novel “How the Steel Was Tempered” by the Soviet writer Nikolai Ostrovsky: “The most precious thing for a person is life. It is given to him once, and he must live it so that it does not hurt excruciatingly for the years spent aimlessly, so that he does not burn shame for a petty and petty past, so that, dying, he could say: all my life and all my strength were given to the most beautiful in the world — the struggle for the liberation of mankind...”
That is a lesson, a guide not only for me but also for all the young generations of Vietnam in this new era.
