Top leader's letter honours Vietnamese family values

The Viet Nam News Agency respectfully presents its translated version as follows:

On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Viet Nam Family Day, on behalf of the Party and State leaders, I affectionately send my warmest greetings and best wishes to all Vietnamese families at home and abroad; to all grandparents, parents, and children.

Deep within the soul of every Vietnamese person, family is a place that anchors memories, nurtures character, and supports individuals through the ups and downs of life. From family traditions and customs to ancestor worship, from maternal love and neighbourly affection to community solidarity, the family is always closely connected to the lineage, community, village, homeland, and country; fosters compassion, loyalty, a sense of responsibility, and love for the nation.

For the past 25 years, Viet Nam Family Day has become an occasion for us to cherish and spread the enduring family values. The national development is not only reflected in economic growth, modern infrastructure, and scientific and technological progress, but also in the quality of its people, the richness of its culture, the warmth and harmony within every family, and the compassion that binds the community together.

Our country is entering a new development stage with new opportunities. The market economy, urbanisation, labour migration, digital transformation, and population aging are impacting family life every day. The worrying issues are not only material difficulties, but also the scarcity of dialogue, the fading of family traditions and customs; the decline in family morality, the generational gap, the trauma caused by violence and abuse, indifference, and a pragmatic lifestyle. Therefore, caring for families must be seen as caring for the foundation of Vietnamese culture, morality, character, and the traditional Vietnamese person, the new socialist person. Every development policy should aim for safer, more equal, and more humane families; children should be protected, women respected, the elderly cared for, and all members should live in love, discipline, and responsibility.

Talking about the family also reminds us to pay more attention to homeless, wandering, orphaned, and disadvantaged children, and those who have no place to call home. We need to spread models such as charitable shelters, social welfare, alternative families and child adoption, "children adopted by border guard posts", "children adopted by communal police", and other appropriate forms of support, so that every disadvantaged child can feel the warmth of a family, be protected, and have the opportunity to study and grow up in a healthy environment.

I hope that every Vietnamese family will maintain these cherished traditional values through concrete daily actions: respecting grandparents and parents; loving and caring for children; spouses being faithful, equal, and sharing; and generations listening to, respecting, and supporting each other. Preserving the family means preserving family traditions, culture, and the enduring strength of the nation.

I wish all Vietnamese families good health, peace, progress, happiness, and success.