President Nguyen Minh Triet attended the national great unity festival held in Lo Xa village, My Hao district, Hung Yen province on November 10 to mark the 78th founding anniversary of the Vietnam National United Front, the precursor of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF).

President Triet said he was pleased to join the people of Lo Xa at the festival and praised all aspects of the achievements of those living in Vietnam’s rural areas, including the residents of Lo Xa.

The achievements of those living in rural areas are a direct result of the unity of the people and their joint efforts in homeland development, in which the VFF has played a vital role, the President said.

The leader urged the residents of Lo Xa to uphold the tradition of solidarity, maintain security and promote emulation movements. He asked local authorities to focus their efforts on economic development as approximately 3% of households in the village are rated as poor and its residents’ incomes remain lower than the national average.

Reviewing the glorious history of the VFF over the past 78 years, the President said that the VFF has united the people in attaining the national goals of national liberation and reunification.

Under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the strength of great national unity has laid the foundations for the country to record a number of historical achievements in its renewal process over the past 20 years, the leader stressed.

He said he hoped the VFF and other mass organisations would play an effective role in uniting the people in order to further contribute to national construction and defence.

The leader then presented gifts to a number of outstanding individuals and families in Lo Xa.

Vu Trong Kim, Vice President and General Secretary of the VFF Central Committee as well as many other central officials and leaders from Hung Yen province attended the event. (VNA)