Present at the meeting were Party General Secretary and Chairman of the National Assembly (NA), Nguyen Phu Trong, former Party leaders Le Kha Phieu and Nong Duc Manh, State President Nguyen Minh Triet, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, former NA chairman Nguyen Van An, President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Huynh Dam, revolutionary war veterans, Vietnamese heroic mothers, representatives from international youth unions and 2,000 outstanding young people.

The meeting began with an art performance.

At the meeting, Vo Van Thuong, First Secretary of HCMCYU Central Committee reviewed the glorious tradition of the union over the past 80 years and said that young generations contributed to developing national prosperity citing bright examples such as La Van Cau, Cu Chinh Lan, Vo Thi Sau, Tran Van On, Be Van Dan, To Vinh Dien, Nguyen Van Troi, Nguyen Viet Xuan, Le Thi Hong Gam, Dang Thuy Tram, Nguyen Van Thach and 10 volunteer girls at Dong Loc T Junction.

During peacetime, HCMCYU are ready to take part in production projects, such as reclaiming wild land, and building youth islands and youth communities at border areas and islands. They voluntarily go to disadvantaged areas to assume demanding work to develop the country. Currently, the country has more than 32,000 youth unions with 6.5 million members.

Mr Thuong said that the union will help youth develop good sociability and improve their qualifications and skills, integration and creative abilities as well as the ability to apply advanced scientific technologies to create high quality human resources that will serve the national industrialization and modernization movements and to fulfill socio-economic development tasks for 2011-2020.

Party leader Trong said he hopes that Vietnamese youth will continue to promote the glorious tradition and inherit the revolutionary cause of the Party and the nation. He emphasized that the HCMCYU should integrate its activities into common national programmes, especially in developing economics and culture, maintaining political and social stability and strengthening national defence and security. The union should also diversify its activities and encourage youth to participate in revolutionary movements, especially in disadvantaged areas.

On behalf of the Party and State, President Triet presented the Gold Star Order to the HCMCYU in recognition of its contribution. This is the second time it has been awarded the noble prize.