“Homeland Spring 2011” welcomes overseas Vietnamese

President Triet made the statement at the “Homeland Spring 2011” programme, which was held in Hanoi by the State Commission on Overseas Vietnamese (SCOV) and the Hanoi Municipal People’s Committee on January 28 in the presence of other Party, State, and Government leaders, representatives of various Ministries and agencies, and more than 1,000 overseas Vietnamese (OVs) who came back to Vietnam for the Tet holiday.

He called on Vietnamese people living in the homeland and abroad to further strengthen the national unity bloc.

Mr. Triet said the OVs’ contributions to national construction and charity work show their patriotism and deep love for their homeland and expressed his belief that they all over the world will uphold the national tradition and educate their children to remember and feel proud of their homeland.

The State leader emphaised that despite the negative impact of the global economic crisis, the Party and people joined hands to maintain a high economic growth of 7 percent and make impressive cultural and social progress. Vietnam’s role and position in the international arena was further enhanced, especially with the fulfillment of its ASEAN chairmanship.

2010 was a milestone in the country’s history with the successful organization of the 11th National Party Congress and the 1,000th Anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi, the Party’s 80th Anniversary, the Vietnam’s 65th Independence Day, and President Ho Chi Minh’s 120th birthday.

According to Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Thanh Son, who is also SCOV director, 2010 saw the strong development of Vietnamese communities abroad with their total remittance sent back to the homeland hitting a record high of US$8 billion. There was a large number of OVs returning to Vietnam to work and participate in charity work, especially after the floods caused havoc in the central provinces.

Previously, Mr. Triet and other Party and State leaders attended an incense offering ceremony in Kinh Thien Temple.