Never before has Pleiku, the capital city of Gia Lai province attracted so large a number of visitors from inside and outside the country.

More than 1,600 delegates and guests, hundreds of Vietnamese and foreign reporters and thousands of tourists have gathered in Gia Lai to welcome the first Ethnic Minority Congress of Great Unity in Tay Nguyen and the reception of a certificate from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) recognising the Gong Culture as a world oral and intangible cultural heritage.

The two-day congress which was honoured by the presence of State President Tran Duc Luong, President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Pham The Duyet and many other Party and State leaders wrapped up successfully on March 29.

More than 500 representatives from different ethnic minority groups in the region and delegates from southern cities and provinces attended the congress, a vivid demonstration of great national unity between Tay Nguyen ethnic groups and people from all parts of the country.

The congress listened to State President Tran Duc Luong’s keynote speech, which dealt with main orientations for building and reinforcing the great national unity bloc among Tay Nguyen ethnic groups in the coming period. It reached a high consensus on the report presented by VFF President Pham The Duyet and highlighted the substantial contributions by Tay Nguyen people to the two struggles against French colonialists and US imperialists as well as to the cause of national construction and defense over the past 60 years. The congress was held to mark the 60^th anniversary of the day late President Ho Chi Minh sent his letter to the Congress of Southern Ethnic Minority Groups in 1946.

During the past 20 years of renewal, Tay Nguyen ethnic people have made great strides in bringing a new facelift to the region. As a result, local people’s living standards have been dramatically improved and policies on nationalities and religious affairs have been better developed. The congress agreed that there remain certain weaknesses and limitations in local development but hostile forces from outside can not sabotage the peaceful life of ethnic groups and overshadow the great achievements recorded by ethnic groups in Tay Nguyen.

The congress asserted that the great national unity bloc and the residential community grouping are the valuable tradition, cultural beauty and driving force behind the comprehensive and sustainable development of Tay Nguyen. The congress highlighted the Party and State’s correct and consistent policies on nationalities, religion, socio-economic development and national security towards the region. The congress also expressed deep gratitude to beloved Uncle Ho, the Party, the State and the VFF and people throughout the country for their constant support and sympathy for Tay Nguyen in the spirit of great national unity, equality and mutual assistance for common development. The congress honoured heroic martyrs who had sacrificed their lives for the construction and development of Tay Nguyen and those who had rendered services to the cause of great national unity and were awarded the Great National Unity Order by the State and the Great National Unity Badge by the VFF.

Dozens of reports presented at the congress, dialogues with Party, State and VFF leaders and letters of determination sent to the Central Party Committee, the National Assembly, the State President, the Prime Minister and the VFF Central Committee - all these clearly demonstrated the iron will of Tay Nguyen people to follow the path chosen by the Communist Party of Vietnam and its founder, the late President Ho Chi Minh.

Ethnic groups in Tay Nguyen always engrave in their hearts the late President Ho's teaching: "People of the Kinh majority, the ethnic minorities of Tho, Muong or Man (in the north), and the Giarai or Ede, Se dang or Bahnar (in the Central Highlands), are all brothers and sisters. We must unite to defend the nation, and love, respect and assist each other in pursuit of happiness for ourselves and future generations."

Tay Nguyen people are strongly determined to develop the comprehensive and sustainable economy, improve their material and spiritual lives and preserve the Tay Nguyen culture which includes Cong Chieng (Gong) culture recognised as a masterpiece of the oral and intangible cultural heritage of humankind.

Ethnic people in Tay Nguyen vow to stay highly vigilant against hostile forces’ dark schemes to undermine national unity and sabotage socialist construction in Vietnam so as to defend Tay Nguyen, a holly land of the nation.

Doctor Y Ngong Nie Kdam, an outstanding son of Tay Nguyen described the ironclad aspirations of Tay Nguyen ethnic groups as "No strength can prevent the Tay Nguyen rivers from flowing into the sea. No strength can prevent Tay Nguyen ethnic groups from pursuing the revolution. Tay Nguyen people always respect and follow Uncle Ho’s footsteps. That is the heartfelt feelings of Tay Nguyen people towards the Party and Uncle Ho’s teachings: "Vietnam is one country. The Vietnamese are one nation. Tay Nguyen is part of Vietnamese land. Tay Nguyen people are Vietnamese and Tay Nguyen ethnic groups are always united to stand shoulder to shoulder in the community of Vietnamese ethnic groups."

Ethnic groups in Tay Nguyen call for the Party, the State and people across the country to continue helping Tay Nguyen develop the local economy comprehensively and sustainably for the common cause of national development.

Tay Nguyen is for the whole country and the whole country is for Tay Nguyen. All Vietnamese ethnic groups will join efforts in achieving the goal of a rich people, a strong country and an equitable, democratic and civilised society.