Thousands of people bid farewell to Professor Vo Tong Xuan to his final resting place.

TPO - On the morning of August 22, thousands of people stood along the road to bid farewell to Professor Vo Tong Xuan at his final resting place in Ba Chuc town, Tri Ton district, An Giang province.

On the morning of August 22, at the Funeral Home of the Can Tho City Retirement Club, a memorial service was held for Professor Vo Tong Xuan. His coffin was then brought back to his hometown by his family to rest in Ba Chuc town, Tri Ton district, An Giang province.

Attending the funeral of Professor Vo Tong Xuan were leaders of Can Tho City; An Giang Province; Consulate General of Japan in Ho Chi Minh City - Mr. Ono Masuo, relatives, friends, students... On the roadside, thousands of people and students from universities in Can Tho stood to bid farewell to their beloved teacher to his final resting place.

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Leaders of Can Tho City, An Giang, international organizations, friends and students observed a moment of silence in memory of Professor Vo Tong Xuan. Photo: Hoa Hoi

At the memorial service, Mr. Le Van Nung - Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Council of An Giang province expressed that Prof. Dr. Vo Tong Xuan was a talented pedagogical expert, passionate about the industry, always struggling to find positive solutions to develop education and improve people's knowledge. He compiled many textbooks, books, reference materials, and many valuable articles serving agriculture not only domestically but also internationally.

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Mr. Le Van Nung - Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Council of An Giang province visited Professor Vo Tong Xuan. Photo: Hoa Hoi

According to Mr. Nung, the marks and legacy that Professor Vo Tong Xuan left for the country and the Mekong Delta region were in the field of agriculture. With a love of science and a desire to serve his homeland, in 1971, while his career was advancing at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the Professor returned to work in Vietnam with the desire to develop Vietnamese agriculture.

Professor Vo Tong Xuan and other researchers have conducted many projects related to high-yield rice, rice cultivation techniques, popularizing new farming techniques, proposing agricultural policies, and transforming agricultural structure...

Mr. Nung recalled that Professor Vo Tong Xuan brought the IR36 rice variety from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) to Vietnam, popularizing the new rice variety in areas frequently affected by pests and diseases. Thanks to that, the Professor has promoted the expansion of access to high-quality, high-yield, low-cost rice varieties, reduced the use of pesticides, and contributed to strengthening global food security.

Professor Vo Tong Xuan also contributed to the introduction of high-yield and high-quality rice varieties that brought many benefits to poor countries in Africa. The professor has made great contributions to training scientific personnel for localities and the whole country over the past decades.

“Now, Professor Vo Tong Xuan is no longer here, but his contributions to the country have left an impression on comrades and people, always for us to remember and cherish,” Mr. Nung emphasized.

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Mr. Vo Tong Anh (son of Professor Vo Tong Xuan) thanked the units, friends, students, and organizations at home and abroad who came to visit Professor Vo Tong Xuan. Photo: Hoa Hoi

On behalf of the family, Mr. Vo Tong Anh (son of Professor Vo Tong Xuan) sent his thanks to the units, organizations, individuals, students, and friends who helped and supported him during his illness (late 2022) and visited Professor Vo Tong Xuan.

“Before he passed away, my father repeatedly said that former students together with him helped farmers kill planthoppers. My father is now in the arms of not only his wife and children, but also many former students - the planthopper fighters with my father," Mr. Tong Anh confided. At the same time, the family would like to express their gratitude to the "Brothers Hai Lua" who worked side by side with Professor Vo Tong Xuan to build brown planthopper-resistant fields in the West, during the years when the country faced food difficulties from 1977-1979.

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Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Phuong, Chairman of the Council of Can Tho University, said that nearly 300 domestic and foreign delegations came to pay their respects to Prof. Vo Tong Xuan. Photo: Hoa Hoi