Malaysian students pose for a commemorative photo with Vietnamese student volunteers at the ceremony in HCM City on August 15. — VNA/VNS Photos Trung Tuyến

HCM CITY — Nearly 100 international volunteers joined forces with local youths for the 33rd Green Summer Volunteer Campaign in HCM City, fostering cross-border solidarity and delivering vital community projects across the region.

The Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union (HCYU) of HCM City held a ceremony on Saturday at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities to review international volunteer activities during the 2026 summer campaign, which ran from July 22 to August 14, and involved international students studying in the city besides youth delegations from Malaysia, Indonesia, Laos, and Cambodia.

Speaking at the event, Nguyễn Minh Sơn, deputy secretary and chairman of the Inspection Commission of the HCYU of HCM City, said the city has served as a familiar and meaningful destination for international volunteers since 2011.

“Beyond physical infrastructure, the primary value of the campaign lies in the cross-cultural understanding, mutual respect, and lasting friendships forged among youth of different nationalities.”

The 2026 campaign yielded significant local community improvements across the city and neighbouring areas.

A total of 48 Malaysian volunteers from the Students Volunteer Foundation, working alongside over 150 locals in Kim Long Commune, Phú Lợi Ward, and Trung Mỹ Tây Ward, contributed 7,680 hours of work.

They renovated public spaces, installing 43 solar-powered streetlights along a 2km road, planting over 1,000 trees and flowers, supporting health check-ups for 800 pupils, and upgrading playgrounds.

Nguyễn Minh Sơn, deputy secretary and chairman of the Inspection Commission of the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union of HCM City, speaks at the ceremony on August 15.

Meanwhile, 15 Indonesian volunteers collaborated with 24 local members in Bàu Lâm Commune to create wall murals and work on rural street lighting initiatives, digital transformation workshops, and youth care programmes.

Lao and Cambodian students participated in cultural exchanges, diplomacy support, gratitude initiatives for policy families, and the 2026 Việt Nam–Laos–Cambodia Children's Festival.

Datuk Mohamad Azhan Bin Md. Amir, deputy secretary-general of the Ministry of National Unity of Malaysia, said the 26-day campaign strengthened ASEAN solidarity and marked the 53rd anniversary of Malaysia-Việt Nam diplomatic relations.

Over a 14-year partnership between YSS and the HCM City Youth Union, 562 Malaysian student volunteers have participated in local community outreach.

At the event, the HCYU of HCM City awarded certificates and international volunteer badges to the participants in recognition of their outstanding contributions. — VNS