Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnam Union of Science andTechnology Associations (VUSTA) held a ceremony on March 24 in the presence ofParty General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong to mark 60 years since then PresidentHo Chi Minh had a meeting with intellectuals (May 18, 1963) and its 40th founding anniversary (March 26, 1983 - 2023).

VUSTAChairman Phan Xuan Dung said that at the first congress of the VietnamAssociation for Science and Technology Dissemination, the predecessor of VUSTA,on May 18, 1963, then President Ho Chi Minh talked to and assigned tasks to thecountry’s intellectuals. Twenty years later, on March 26, 1983, VUSTA wasestablished 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 itsimportant role in uniting and bringing into play the creativity of Vietnamesescience and technology intellectuals both at home and abroad, thus substantiallyhelping promote the country’s scientific and technological strength, boostsocio-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 associationunions and 93 associations, with over 2.2 million intellectuals among the morethan 3.7 million members. Nearly 600 subordinate science and technologyorganisations, along with the Vietnam Fund for Supporting Technological Creations(VIFOTEC), the Tri thuc (Knowledge) Publishing House, and the Tri thuc va Cuocsong (Knowledge and Life) newspaper, have also been set up, Dung noted.

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

Highlyvaluing the enormous contributions by VUSTA and its science and technologyintellectuals, Party General Secretary Trong said that in every era and every country,intellectuals always form an important force for promoting the development ofsociety. They are part of human resources and also a scientific andtechnological resource directly engaging in the improvement of people’sintellectual level and training of manpower for the country.

The Partyhas always paid attention to the mobilisation and development of intellectualsas seen in its issuance of many resolutions and directives in this regard, henoted.

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

The Partyleader asked VUSTA to actively push ahead with reforms, improve its performancequality, further give proposals and feedback to the Party and State, providemore favourable conditions for intellectuals to contribute to nationaldevelopment, 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 continuefulfilling all tasks assigned by the Party and State, make more qualitative andeffective contributions to national development and defence, enhance the greatnational solidarity, and join hands with the Party, army and people in successfullyimplementing all the Party’s guidelines./.