Intellectuals form important force for social development: Party leader

The ceremony held by VUSTA in Hanoi on March 24 (Photo: VNA)

Chair of VUSTA Phan Xuan Dung said that at the first congress of the Vietnam Association for Science and Technology Dissemination, the predecessor of VUSTA, on May 18, 1963, then President Ho Chi Minh talked to and assigned tasks to the country’s intellectuals. Twenty years later, on March 26, 1983, VUSTA was established with Labour Hero, Professor and Academian Maj. Gen. Tran Dai Nghia, a prominent scientist of Vietnam, being the first chairman.

Since then, VUSTA has increasingly affirmed its important role in uniting and bringing into play the creativity of Vietnamese science and technology intellectuals both at home and abroad, thus substantially helping promote the country’s scientific and technological strength, boost socio-economic development, and contribute to defence - security safeguarding.

From the 15 initial associations with a modest membership, VUSTA now comprises 156 associations, including 63 local association unions and 93 associations, with over 2.2 million intellectuals among the more than 3.7 million members. Nearly 600 subordinate science and technology organisations, along with the Vietnam Fund for Supporting Technological Creations (VIFOTEC), the Tri thuc (Knowledge) Publishing House, and the Tri thuc va Cuoc song (Knowledge and Life) newspaper, have also been set up, Dung noted.

In recognition of its achievements over the last 40 years, the Party and State have granted many noble rewards, including the Ho Chi Minh Order, the Independence Order, and the Labour Order, to VUSTA and its member associations. Many scientists have also been honoured with the Labour Hero title, the Ho Chi Minh Award and State Awards on Science and Technology, he added.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong addresses the ceremony. (Photo: VNA)

Highly valuing the enormous contributions by VUSTA and its science and technology intellectuals, Party General Secretary Trong said that in every era and every country, intellectuals always form an important force for promoting the development of society. They are part of human resources and also a scientific and technological resource directly engaging in the improvement of people’s intellectual level and training of manpower for the country.

The Party has always paid attention to the mobilisation and development of intellectuals as seen in its issuance of many resolutions and directives in this regard, he noted.

Amid the strong Fourth Industrial Revolution, which is fostering breakthrough development in multiple areas and creating both opportunities and challenges to each country, science and technology organisations and intellectuals of Vietnam, especially those of VUSTA, need to work harder to make greater and more effective contributions to help the country obtain fast and sustainable development, he said.

The Party leader asked VUSTA to actively push ahead with reforms, improve its performance quality, further give proposals and feedback to the Party and State, provide more favourable conditions for intellectuals to contribute to national development, and carry out diverse activities connected with the strategies, plans, and development programmes of sectors, regions, and the entire country.

He expressed his belief that VUSTA will continue fulfilling all tasks assigned by the Party and State, make more qualitative and effective contributions to national development and defence, enhance the great national solidarity, and join hands with the Party, army and people in successfully implementing all the Party’s guidelines.