Continuing to evoke the strength of patriotic emulation movements

The Congress is more and more significant as it is held on the occasion of the whole country heading towards the 13th National Party Congress with various practical activities.

The Patriotic Emulation Congress aims to evaluate the implementation of emulation movements and reward during 2016-2020 period; devise tasks and goals for 2021-2025 period; and honour heroic collectives and individuals, emulation soldiers and typical examples. More importantly, the Congress continued to evoke the great strength of the great national unity bloc, creating a new driving force for the successful implementation of the country's economic, cultural and social development tasks.

Seventy-two years ago, under the initiative of President Ho Chi Minh, the Party Central Committee issued a directive to launch a patriotic emulation movement on March 27, 1948. Right after that, on June 11, 1948, President Ho Chi Minh made the call for Patriotic Emulation and launched the patriotic emulation movement around the country. His call was like a summons that echoed across the nation, urging the people and soldiers to unite together and promote the spirit of self-reliance and national pride to overcome all difficulties and hardships, contributing to the glorious revolutionary cause of the Party and nation.

During the historical period of the country, emulation movements always played a very important role in the successes of the nation. The notable movements during the resistance war against French colonialism were “Destroying enemies of hunger, ignorance and invasion”; “Popular Education” and “Revolution Rice Pot”. The movements “Three Best” among the army, “Wind from Dai Phong” in the agricultural sector, “Duyen Hai wave” in industry, “Three willingness” among the youths and “Three responsibilities” among women during the years of the people's democratic revolution in the south towards the national reunification. In recent years, people from across the countryhave implemented the movement “the whole nation joins hands to build new-style rural areas”, bringing great achievements in the cause of building new-style rural areas. The campaign “The whole country joins hands for the poor – No one left behind” attracted the participation of the whole political system. Many other patriotic emulation movements have been implemented widely, gradually leaving their mark in the social life.

The patriotic emulation movements focused on the grassroots and employees and were closely linked with the study and following of Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and style. They have become an important driving force to arouse, encourage and attract the response from a large number of officials, soldiers, the unions’ members and people from all strata, towards fulfilling the two strategic missions of national construction and defence. Through campaigns and patriotic emulation movements, many typical examples, outstanding collectives and individuals have gained outstanding achievements and victories.

However, the reality showed that the reward work and emulation movements have revealed the limitations and shortcomings that need to be addressed promptly. Leaders of several ministries, agencies and localities have not paid much attention to emulation and reward work. In some places, the emulation movements have not closely followed the political and professional tasks; the communications of outstanding examples have not received the prompt attention; and the reward to direct employees has not been spread. In addition, the commendation has not followed closely with the emulation results, leading to unfairness. In fact, there is still a phenomenon that the rewards focused on leaders or major collectives, not paying attention to honouring small collectives and direct employees.

Emulation and commendation work play a very important role in the social life and economic development of the country.therefore, the strong innovation of the contents and modes of emulation movements and reward is an urgent task at present. In order to achieve this goal, the ministries, agencies and localities should study the launching and organisation of emulationmovements under a practical and effective motto, right from the name and goal. The movements’ contents must thoroughly follow the assigned political tasks and major solutions for socio-economic development, meeting the legitimate needs of the people.

In addition, it is crucial to strictly implement the provisions of the Law on Emulation and Commendation, focusing on reviewing, amending and completing guiding legal documents to meet the requirements of reality. The quality of commendation should be improved to ensure accuracy, transparency and timeliness, towards paying attention to collectives and individuals with extraordinary achievements, especially those who directly work and produce. It is also essential to mobilise all resources to create emulation and commendation funds to ensure the prompt and proper reward. The relevant agencies should focus on training outstanding cadres who have professional capability, responsibility and enthusiasm for the emulation and commendation. The agencies and units in charge of emulation and commendation need to renew their working style and reform procedures in a streamlined manner as well as applying information technology in their work.

The 10th National Patriotic Congress is an opportunity to affirm the great achievements over the past 35 years of implementing the Doi Moi (Renewal) cause as well as the patriotic emulation and commendation movement over recent years. The event is expected to promote patriotism and evoke the great power of people from all strata as well as nurture the patriotism, the spirit of self-reliance and national pride during the cause of national construction and defence.