Vietnam Association of the Elderly Congress opens

NDO—The fifth congress of the Vietnam Association of the Elderly (VAE) for the 2016-2021 tenure opened in Hanoi on November 9.

The delegates at the congress
The delegates at the congress

The Congress was attended by 337 delegates representing over 8.6 million members across the country.

The event was attended by former Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh, former National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Van An, former Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan and Politburo members including Head of the Party Central Committee's Mass Mobilisation Commission Truong Thi Mai; Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Hoang Trung Hai; Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, who is also Chairman of the National Committee on Ageing, along with delegates from departments and ministries.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, former Party General Secretaries Do Muoi, Le Kha Phieu, President Tran Dai Quang, former Presidents Le Duc Anh, Tran Duc Luong and National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan sent congratulatory flower baskets.

The fifth congress of the VAE aims to review the successes and failures of the 2011-2016 tenure, along with amending and supplementing the VAE’s Charter and electing the fifth VAE Central Executive Committee.

With around 8.6 million members, the VAE has played a significant role in the country’s major political events. The association has attracted more and more members from the central to the grassroots levels. Thanks to the sound direction of the VAE Central Committee and the support of local Party committees and authorities, activities launched by the VAE have helped to realise the Party’s guidelines and the State’s policies and laws on the elderly. More than 70,000 clubs for the elderly have been set up nationwide thus far, attracting a membership of around three million.

Through multiple emulation movements, the VAE at all levels has encouraged not only the elderly, but all of society, to actively participate in local socioeconomic development.

Addressing the event, Head of the Party Central Committee’s Mass Mobilisation Commission Truong Thi Mai expressed his deep appreciation for the contribution of the VAE in promoting the role of the elderly. She urged local authorities and the VAE to join hands to take care of the elderly and promote their knowledge and experience to help them live happy, healthy and useful lives, contributing to the cause of national development and defence.

The congress elected a new 98-member executive board and Pham Thi Hai Chuyen, who is a former Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, was elected as Chairman of the Association.