Ho Chi Minh City: More than 100 young people from Ho Chi Minh City have embarked on a volunteer mission to neighboring Laos, lasting until June 28. A group of 103 volunteers, encompassing youth union members, students, civil servants, doctors, and artists, initiated their journey on June 10.

According to Lao News Agency, this year’s summer volunteer campaign in Laos aims to offer training in agriculture, livestock farming, and educational methodologies. The program places emphasis on the development of local tourism and organizes workshops to impart knowledge and practical skills related to artificial intelligence tools for everyday use in Champasak Province. It also serves to further implement the cooperation agreements previously signed between the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCYU) and the youth unions of Champasak and Attapeu provinces.

The initiative seeks to enhance international volunteer collaboration and fortify the longstanding friendship between Vietnam and Laos. The summer volunteer campaign has successfully mobilized nearly 4 billion VND (154,000 USD) to date. Key activities include paying homage to veteran leaders and national martyrs, organizing recreational and educational events for local youth, painting classrooms, and providing Vietnamese language classes and training sessions.

Young volunteers have also conducted free health check-ups, distributed medicines to over 5,000 residents, contributed five Vietnam-Laos Friendship Houses, and donated more than 800 gifts and thousands of school supplies, such as notebooks and solar-powered lamps. Ngo Minh Hai, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union of HCM City and Chairman of the municipal Vietnam Youth Federation, emphasized the commitment of the young volunteers to their mission and health. He noted that the campaign not only serves as a service effort but also plays a vital role in strengthening the friendship and solidarity between Vietnamese and Laotian youth.

The campaign aims to spread the image of friendly, passionate, and resilient Vietnamese youth to an international audience. As part of the 2025 summer volunteering campaigns in the city, the 21-year journey (2004 – 2025) of volunteer activities in Laos highlights the significant role and contributions of youth generations in the city’s foreign affairs.