GREEN SUMMER 2025: “FAMILY MEAL” – A JOURNEY BACK IN TIME TO SHOW GRATITUDE AND IGNITE THE ROOTS

Following its initial deployment, the Green Summer 2025 volunteer campaign by Vietnam Aviation Academy (VAA) has made its mark with a series of meaningful community-oriented activities and programs. As part of the “Journey of Gratitude – Igniting the Roots” and “Youth Empowerment” programs, carried out by the “Green Shirt for Community” team, the “Family Meal” event took place in Tan Nhut Commune, Ho Chi Minh City, on July 10, 2025.

Participating in the program were Mr. Huynh Thanh Truc, Deputy Secretary of the Academy’s Youth Union and Deputy Campaign Commander; Mr. Nguyen Xuan Duong, President of the Academy’s Student Union and Commander of the Ho Chi Minh City Front; and Green Summer volunteers representing Vietnam Aviation Academy. From Tan Nhut Commune, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hoang, Deputy Secretary of Tan Nhut Commune Youth Union, and Youth Union members also attended with the delegation.

The young volunteers spent time visiting, encouraging, and listening to the stories shared by the Vietnamese Heroic Mother

The activity was organized to express deep gratitude on the occasion of the 78th anniversary of Viet Nam’s War Invalids and Martyrs Day (July 27, 1947 – July 27, 2025), while also fostering and nurturing the tradition of “Uong nuoc nho nguon” (When drinking water, remember the source) among every Youth Union member and young person. The cozy atmosphere at the small home of Vietnamese Heroic Mother Phan Thi Tam became a place for Vietnam Aviation Academy’s Youth Union members and young people to express their gratitude, spirit of service, and sincere affection.

The atmosphere was cozy, joyful, and filled with pride as the Green Summer volunteers chatted with Mother Phan Thi Tam

From early morning, groups of Youth Union members were present, actively cleaning and tidying the house. The kitchen buzzed with laughter and chatter. Hands unaccustomed to cooking swiftly prepared simple, heartfelt dishes. Though humble, the meal was precious due to the sincerity and respect of the young people. While sharing the meal with the Mother, the Youth Union members and young people listened to stories of wartime struggles and seemingly ordinary daily life, which served as vivid lessons about the immense contributions of previous generations.

The simple meal, overflowing with love, was prepared by the volunteers

After the meal, the delegation continued to visit Vietnamese Heroic Mother Nguyen Thi Xa in the area. Although the time was short, their dedicated care, warm gazes, and sincere words of inquiry left a profound impression on both the Mother and the visitors.

The “Family Meal” activity helped make the image of Youth Union members and young people more approachable and positive in the eyes of the community. Through every small action and specific deed, the younger generation demonstrated their concern for the past and their responsibility to preserve traditions. They came, listened, shared, and felt – thereby gaining a deeper understanding of the value of sacrifice, love for the country, and solidarity among compatriots.

The meal, full of heartfelt affection, fostered a strong bond between the volunteers and the Vietnamese Heroic Mother

The program not only brought warm meals but also created an opportunity for young people to express their emotions, learn to love, and act for others. Every young person that day carried home a lesson: to live worthily in the present, to live responsibly towards the past, and to nurture the future with a compassionate heart. The “Family Meal” concluded, but its echoes lingered. Amidst the activities of the Green Summer campaign, this program became a highlight—a place where gratitude was spread, and where the young generation connected with the sacred values of national tradition with all due respect and pride.

DTN&HSV – NXD