President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc and delegates at the Việt Nam Red Cross Society's 11th Congress in Hà Nội on Tuesday morning.— VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

HÀ NỘI — President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc asked the Việt Nam Red Cross Society on Tuesday to focus on innovations to meet current challenges in health and social welfare. while continuing to spread humane values in the community.

President Phúc spoke at the society's 11th Congress in Hà Nội on Tuesday morning.

Việt Nam was facing many difficulties and challenges, including the consequences of climate change, severe and unpredictable natural disasters; and the COVID-19 pandemic over the past two years, he said.

The country still had millions of victims of war and Agent Orange as well as millions of people who are vulnerable to risks and challenges, he said.

"Therefore, it requires us to continue promoting the spirit of sharing and love among people of all walks of life," he said.

Phúc also told the society to implement the guidelines of the Party, policies and laws of the State on humanitarian issues, strengthen the leadership of the Party in accordance with the spirit of Directive 43 CT/TW of the Secretariat.

The agency must focus on effectively implementing seven areas specified in the Law on Red Cross activities, he said.

It needed to improve the quality of humanitarian activities and spread the humane values of Việt Nam, he said.

He also expressed his support and appreciation for the agency's identification of two programmes "Safety for poor and disadvantaged fishermen" and "Nutrition for poor and disabled children" as well as environmental projects as key programmes for the 2022-27 term.

At the same time, Phúc said he hoped that the movement "Good people, good deeds - Working together to build a compassionate community" will contribute to the formation of a humane, compassionate, and responsible lifestyle among Party members, civil servants, public employees, labourers and all classes of people.

The agency’s units at all levels should continue improving the capacity of the staff; promoting the application of information technology; consolidating and building a prestigious and strong Red Cross agency; increasing its influence and attraction in humanitarian work; ensuring strict observance of the law and basic principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, he said.

Additionally, it should refer to appropriate volunteering models of other organisations at home and abroad; and continue to coordinate more closely with agencies and organisations, especially the Việt Nam Fatherland Front, in humanitarian and charitable activities to ensure transparency and efficiency, he said.

The agency needed to effectively implement international cooperation in the humanitarian field, strengthen relations with international organisations, and demonstrate Việt Nam's responsibility in the fields of regional and global humanitarian activities, he said.

Achievements in 2017-21 term

President of the agency Bùi Thị Hòa delivers her speech at the congress on Tuesday morning.— VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Tùng

Speaking at the agency’s 11th Congress, President of the agency Bùi Thị Hòa said the humanitarian movements of the agency had been showing its vitality in social life.

“The more difficulties we face, the more solidarity, sharing and kindness are demonstrated in our community,” she said.

The difficulties had enhanced the creativity and innovation of the agency’s units at all levels, she said.

Tens of millions of people in difficult circumstances had been supported; thousands of humanitarian houses had been built; and millions of Tết (Lunar New Year) gifts had been delivered to poor people, she added.

“It proves that where there are humanitarian activities, there is the contribution of the red cross society,” she said.

Reporting at the congress, vice President of the agency Nguyễn Hải Anh said that in the 2017-21 term, through many movements, the agency helped tens of millions of poor and disadvantaged people in the country with an amount of more than VNĐ23 trillion (US$981 million), 2.36 times higher than in the previous term.

Targets in the 2022-27 term

Anh said with the theme "Building a stronger Việt Nam Red Cross Society, effectively promoting its core role in humanitarian activities, actively implementing social security policies of the Party and State," the congress would help people in difficult circumstances; jointly build a compassionate community; and make active contributions to the activities of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

In the 2022-27 term, the congress set some basic targets, including all provinces and cities in the country would deploy the movement "Good people, good deeds - Working together to build a compassionate community"; the agency would provide at least 500,000 humanitarian homes to help disadvantaged people; it would support one million poor and disabled children under the programme "Nutrition for poor and disabled children", helping disadvantaged fishermen working on 90,600 fishing boats; and giving humanitarian houses for 1,300 fishermen following the programme "Safety for poor and disadvantaged fishermen", he said.

These are the two key programmes of the agency, according to Anh.

The programme "Safety for poor and disadvantaged fishermen" aims to improve working conditions, safety and livelihoods for poor and disadvantaged fishermen in 291 extremely-difficult communes in 23 coastal provinces and cities.

In the meantime, the programme "Nutrition for poor and disabled children" is designed to provide nutritional support and improve learning and living conditions for poor and disabled children in the northern mountainous region, the Central Highlands region and the south-west region as well as child-caring facilities in 27 provinces and cities.

The Việt Nam Red Cross Society was founded in 1946, right after the success of the August Revolution. Late President Hồ Chí Minh was the first Honorary President of the agency from 1946 until 1969 (when he passed away).

Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng was the honorary President of the Việt Nam Red Cross Society in the 2017-21 term.

President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc was elected to be honorary President of the Việt Nam Red Cross Society in 2022-27 term on Tuesday morning.— VNS