Footprints on the white sands

The trip to Central Vietnam, where "white sand meets forests, cliffs meet the turquoise sea," by the union members of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was not long, but it was enough to clearly feel their responsibility to the community.

Representatives from the Women's Committees of various units within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs attended the trade union work training conference. (Photo: MH)

When I was informed to attend the four-day training course organized by the Ministry's Trade Union, I was quite surprised to be participating in such a large-scale activity, implemented immediately after the successful 6th Congress of the Vietnam Public Employees' Trade Union, term 2023-2028.

The journey was arduous, but…

This isn't the first time I've participated in a business trip organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Trade Union. Previous trips included Tam Dao, Quang Ninh, and other times I went up to Sa Pa or Cao Bang. But this time was different; we started from Hanoi and traveled along the central coast to reach our destination – Ninh Thuan .

At 5:30 a.m., the 45-seater Universe bus set off, taking our group out of Hanoi.

Looking at the packed itinerary: Hanoi - Ha Tinh - Da Nang - Binh Dinh - Ninh Thuan, and then a round trip of 1,338km, I told myself: This will be a long trip and certainly full of interesting things.

Leading the delegation, Comrade Do Ngoc Thuy - Member of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Public Employees' Union, and President of the Ministry's Union - announced the details of the trip. In a tone that was both serious and slightly humorous, she emphasized: “The trip is long and traffic isn't always smooth, so we must eat quickly, sleep promptly, focus on the events and activities, and absolutely not be late. At each destination, the local people have already prepared for the reception and organized the activities. Therefore, we must arrive early and on time, not late...”

Every time, on every trip, whether near or far, even though the group consists entirely of mature and experienced individuals, the leader's advice is never superfluous. The passengers respond to the leader's words with a round of applause. Then, the sound of a guitar takes everyone on a journey back to their youth: "Student life has a guitar / As the guitar plays, we sing together…"

Let's rekindle the belief.

We stopped in Ha Tinh, a province known for its educational traditions, to carry out the first activity of our trip: visiting and donating gifts to the Ha Tinh Orphanage.

Mr. Nguyen Hong Son – Director of the Village – told us that in over 30 years of its establishment and development, the Village has cared for more than 600 children in difficult circumstances, including orphans, homeless children, abandoned newborns, children suffering from the effects of Agent Orange/dioxin, disabled children, and children with cerebral palsy… Many of these children have grown up, become adults, and taken on important responsibilities in society. Currently, the Village is caring for and nurturing 110 children, including 25 attending primary and secondary schools and 20 attending university.

Teacher Tran Thi Thanh Toan shared: “I was an orphan and was taken in by the teachers just two years after the village was established. The teachers cared for, nurtured, and educated me, and I passed the entrance exam to Vinh University. I chose Social Work with the hope that after graduation I would return to my extended family to support children in similar circumstances to my own. In 2007, I graduated from university and returned to help fulfill the dreams of these children.”

On behalf of the Trade Union of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Comrade Do Ngoc Thuy presented the Ha Tinh Orphanage with a gift of 10 million VND in cash, along with some warm blankets and confectionery.

Due to time constraints, we had to rush off again after a short overnight stay in Da Nang.

The next destination is the Hope Special School (Binh Dinh), which cares for and educates children with intellectual disabilities, hearing impairments, and visual impairments from grades 1 to 5.

Introducing the school, Principal Tran Thi Thuy Nga said: “With the love and encouragement of the teachers, the disadvantaged students in the school have overcome their inferiority complex, strived in their studies and work, and gained confidence in life. This is considered a second home for both teachers and students.”

Afterward, we attended a class for hearing-impaired children. The children were very happy to see our group, sharing poems and songs from their hearts with the teachers and staff.

The bell rang, and groups of students, including those with hearing impairments, visual impairments, and cerebral palsy, rushed out onto the playground to celebrate together. Only by being here in person can one truly understand that the ability of children with disabilities to understand and integrate into the community is thanks to the immense efforts of their teachers and the children themselves.

The delegation visited the classroom for hearing-impaired children at the Hope Special School in Binh Dinh. (Photo: MH)

"Reviewing" cultural diplomacy

For diplomatic staff, regardless of their position or field of work, traveling abroad makes them cultural ambassadors for their country. Therefore, throughout our journey, every scenic spot that flashed past the car window became a topic for the staff of the Department of Cultural Diplomacy and UNESCO to update the knowledge of the entire delegation.

The Nghinh Phong Towers, the Ghenh Da Dia rock formations, and the two Cham tower complexes of Hoa Lai and Po Klong Garai… led us through fascinating stories related to the conservation and promotion of heritage.

Ninh Thuan, the location of the 2023 Trade Union Training Conference of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Trade Union, is also a land that preserves many cultural heritage values ​​of various ethnic groups. In mid-June, this South Central province held a ceremony to receive the UNESCO certificate recognizing the Cham pottery art as an intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding at 16/4 Square, Phan Rang - Thap Cham city.

Currently, Ninh Thuan province is collaborating with various ministries and agencies – especially the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant units – on heritage preservation. The province has submitted dossiers and proposals to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Vietnam UNESCO Committee, requesting UNESCO to consider and recognize the Cham tower complex in Ninh Thuan as a World Heritage Site and the Katê festival of the Cham people in Ninh Thuan as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

For us union members, being immersed in the skills and methods of union work in this heritage-rich region was an unforgettable experience. Even more interestingly, the presentations on the role and position of the Union in the new context, the knowledge and skills for organizing union activities at the grassroots level, and the role of the Union in carrying out the aforementioned tasks were discussed in detail and enthusiastically by the delegates, with practical examples.

With the most important training content completed, there was no reason for the union members not to compete in a thrilling table tennis match. The pairs delivered spectacular shots for the spectators.

On our return journey, we arrived at the Quang Binh Social Work Center as planned. Currently, the Center is caring for over 80 elderly people without family support and 44 orphaned, abandoned, and severely disabled children.

Upon returning to the capital, the lyrics of the song "Returning to Central Vietnam" (by composer An Thuyên) still echoed in my heart, along with those of the other participants in this incredibly memorable trip: "At night, the bright moon shines on the face of a bird, the moon reflects my mother's love..."

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/nhung-dau-chan-ve-mien-cat-trang-245923.html