Promoting the strength of great national solidarity

Dong Nai is a land where many ethnic groups and religions coexist. Under the leadership of the Party and the unifying role of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF), this diversity has been transformed into a powerful source of synergy. Over nearly 40 years of renewal, the great national unity bloc in Dong Nai has not only been consolidated but also strongly promoted, becoming a valuable endogenous resource and a solid foundation for the province’s development achievements.

Ha Anh Dung (5th from right), Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, Standing Vice Chairman of the Provincial VFF Committee, visits religious dignitaries and officials in the province. (Photo: Duc Hien)

Ethnic minority communities have always maintained solidarity, preserved their cultural identity, and actively contributed to socio-economic development and public order in the province. Meanwhile, religious communities continue to uphold the tradition of “living a good life, practicing good faith,” standing side by side with the nation. The relationship between religious dignitaries, officials, followers, and local authorities as well as VFF has become increasingly close, contributing to the strengthening of great national unity.

Strength from solidarity

Throughout nearly 40 years of renewal, the spirit of solidarity has driven communities in Dong Nai to strive for economic development and improved living standards. Through patriotic movements launched by the VFF, such as “All people unite to develop new-style rural areas and civilized cities,” ethnic and religious communities have fostered self-reliance and creativity. Many effective production and business models applying science and technology have emerged, generating strong grassroots economic momentum.

Notably, religious institutions are not only centers of worship but also actively engaged in social welfare and humanitarian activities, such as building charity houses, offering scholarships, and providing free medical care. These efforts contribute to sustainable poverty reduction and the spirit of “living a good life, practicing good faith.” Cultural and religious values are respected and preserved, while festivals and cultural exchanges are regularly organized, fostering community bonds. This creates a cultural space of “diversity in unity,” helps eliminate negative behaviors, and builds a safe, civilized, and compassionate community, thereby reinforcing the people’s trust.

Priest Tran Xuan Thao, Vice Chairman of the Committee for Solidarity of Vietnamese Catholics and Chairman of the Dong Nai province’s Committee for Catholic Solidarity, said that after the merger of the former Binh Phuoc and Dong Nai provinces, the new Dong Nai became one of the provinces with the largest Catholic population in the country. “With the motto of living a good life, practicing good faith, local Catholics have accompanied the authorities in many key movements, from new-style rural development and building civilized cities to protecting the environment and caring for the poor,” he said. Beyond the hundreds of billions of dong contributed, it is patriotism expressed through simple, practical acts of kindness.

Venerable Thich Hue Khai, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in Dong Nai Province, said the local Buddhist community has always aligned itself with national causes and upholdits patriotic tradition. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the provincial Buddhist Sangha, together with monks, nuns, and followers, contributed hundreds of tons of essential goods and billions of dong to support people in need. These efforts helped many disadvantaged families, people with disabilities, the elderly living alone, and workers affected by the pandemic and natural disasters in the central region.

Loc Hung Commune, a border area with a large Khmer ethnic population, has long promoted the role of community leaders. Lam Hay, a respected figure in Chang Hai Hamlet, is exemplary in patriotic movements and local campaigns. Every day, he visits households to guide them in applying science and technology in production and mobilizes people to donate land, crops, and labor for new-style rural development.

Nguyen Dinh Bien, a veteran revolutionary and respected leader of the Cho Ro ethnic community in Ly Lich 1 Hamlet, Phu Ly Commune, recalled that during the two resistance wars against the French colonialism and the American imperialism, the Cho Ro people always stood steadfastly with the Party and President Ho Chi Minh. “After national reunification, they continued to work with local authorities to overcome difficulties and build Phu Ly into an advanced new-style rural commune and a model residential area,” he said. Bien, who served as hamlet head for over 30 years and Party cell secretary for 10 years, takes pride in the transformation of Phu Ly, in which the Cho Ro people have played a vital role.

The great national unity bloc has become Dong Nai’s “soft power” in the new era. When every individual and community shares the aspiration and action for development, Dong Nai will truly become a livable, culturally rich, dynamic, and breakthrough province in the era of national rise.

Ha Anh Dung, Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, Standing Vice Chairman of the Provincial VFF Committee.

Solidarity in the era of national rise

In recent years, Party committees, authorities, and the VFF Committees at all levels have ensured that religious practices comply with laws, charters, and regulations, while fostering national unity. Religious dignitaries, monks, nuns, and followers have placed their trust in the Party and State, actively engaging in patriotic movements and campaigns.

Many transport projects requiring large-scale land clearance have significantly impacted local residents, including ethnic and religious communities. However, thanks to effective communication by local authorities and respected community figures, religious dignitaries have served as “bridges of trust” between ethnic and religious communities and the Party and government.

According to Ha Anh Dung, nearly 40 years of renewal have highlighted the role of solidarity in building a strong and transparent political system. “This is a profound expression of great national unity,” he said. Through the VFF and its member organizations, ethnic and religious communities have increasingly participated in giving feedback on Party and government building. Social supervision and criticism have been carried out effectively, reinforcing public trust and turning the Party’s will into the people’s action. Looking back, it is clear that the golden key for Dong Nai to rise as an industrial and service hub lies in the strength of consensus and solidarity, the result of joint efforts by the entire population, including ethnic and religious communities,” he added.

Dung stressed that in the coming time, the VFF must innovate in both content and methods to truly serve as the reliable pillar for the people. “We must stay closer to the people, both in traditional ways and by applying digital transformation to collect their opinions more quickly and accurately,” he said. He also emphasized the need to enhance the practical effectiveness of social supervision and criticism to protect the legitimate rights and interests of the people and ensure that policies truly benefit the public.

In the context where hostile forces seek to sow division, strengthening the great national unity bloc is akin to building the strongest fortress to defend the Party’s ideological foundation. At the same time, the VFF continues to promote its role in people-to-people diplomacy, turning each citizen and enterprise into a friendly “ambassador.” This, in turn, helps build the image of Dong Nai as a united, safe, and welcoming land in the eyes of international community.

By Duc Hien – Translated by Thuc Oanh, Thu Ha