Hanoi (VNA) - Ninety years ago, a meeting of the Party Central Committee on March 26, 1931 emphasized the need to establish a youth organisation, affirming the role and mission of the Youth Union in the revolution for national liberation and independence. Over the last 90 years, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union has been a vanguard force and an effective arm of the Party in the struggle for national liberation, defence, and construction. According to Associate Professor, Dr Nguyen Danh Tien, Director of the Institute of Party History at the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, the birth of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union was an inevitable part of history. During its 90 years, the Youth Union has expanded and developed to deal with difficulties and has successfully completed all tasks assigned by the Party. Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong highlighted the important role of young people in national development while attending a ceremony marking the 90th founding anniversary (March 26) of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union. The event held on March 23 in Ha Noi also saw the participation of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phúc, high-ranking officials and former officials of the Party and the State, former youth union secretaries and more than 1,000 current members of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union. “The youth are an important part of the nation and the backbone of the country. If the youth are strong, the nation will be strong. In the strength of the nation, there is the power of the youth,” Party General Secretary and State President Trong said. Party General Secretary and State President Trong praised generations of young people for their contributions to national liberation and safeguarding during the wars and today’s national development. The Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union has mobilised young people across the country to take part in a number of activities including educating children and adolescents, building firm and transparent Party committees and political system, the leader said. “Millions of excellent young people have been admitted to the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union. Tens of thousands of youth union members have become Communist Party members. Youth union officials have become the young officials of Party committees, authorities and organisations at various levels,” the Party and State leader said. He urged young people to continue to take pioneering roles in studying, working, contributing to the country’s development to live up to the expectations of the Party, late President Ho Chi Minh and society. On this occasion, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc presented the Ho Chi Minh Order to the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union. This is the third time the organisation has been awarded this order. First Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee Nguyen Anh Tuan said from only eight members in the early days, the organisation had been expanded through various stages and become a firm organisation of more than 6.2 million members now. The Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union’s development had met urgent requirements of the youth movement. The Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union had promoted relations with international youth organisations, enhancing Vietnamese youth’s status in the global arena, he said. He said the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union would focus on educating young people with moral lessons and civilised lifestyles, encourage positive movements in their communities. Every young person will be equipped with knowledge and skills to be able to prevent and fight against toxic information, he said, adding that the youth union would protect the legitimate rights of young people, especially children and those living under disadvantaged circumstances in order not to leave anyone behind./.