Bắc giang
Widely spreading Uncle Ho's call
After the August Revolution of 1945, Viet Nam was still facing immense hardship. However, President Ho Chi Minh, with his strategic vision, placed special emphasis on physical training and sports. Nearly 80 years since he wrote the "Call for all people to practise physical exercise", the spirit of physical training has now spread widely across the country.
On January 30, 1946, President Ho Chi Minh issued Decree No. 14 to establish the Central Gymnastics House, tasked with working alongside the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education to research and implement physical training nationwide.
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The image of President Ho Chi Minh is always respectfully present in historic moments of Vietnamese sports. |
Less than two months later, on March 27, 1946, he issued Decree No. 38 to establish the Youth and Sports Department, comprising a Central Youth Office and a Central Sports Office.
That same day, he wrote the article "Call for all people to practise physical exercise", published in the newspaper Cuu Quoc.
Not only did he clearly explain the benefits of daily exercise, but he also called on people to actively engage in sports to improve their health. Uncle Ho led by example.
From his youth, he practised physical training, swimming, walking, mountain climbing, and traditional martial arts. Whether abroad or during his years leading the nation, he maintained the habit of exercising daily.
As of 2024, the movement "All people practise physical training following the great example of Uncle Ho" has achieved remarkable results. According to the General Department of Sports and Physical Training (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism), approximately 37.5% of the population regularly participates in sports, and 28.3% of households maintain this habit.
In 2024 alone, 27 national-level mass sports competitions and tournaments were held, attracting over 20,000 athletes. Many of these public sports events made a significant impact.
The "Safe Swimming and Drowning Prevention" programme helped millions of children and citizens acquire survival skills. Marathon running has become a national phenomenon, showing that people are increasingly aware of the role of sports in improving health, preventing disease, and improving quality of life.
Since the country’s founding, nearly 600 sports facilities in Viet Nam now meet national and international competition standards, including 371 stadiums with stands, 222 gymnasiums with stands meeting national standards, 69 swimming pools with stands qualifying for national-level competitions, and 11,923 other sports venues such as shooting ranges and tennis courts.
The strong development of grassroots sports has improved public health, laying a solid foundation for elite sports to reach the global stage. Viet Nam topped the medal tally at the 22nd SEA Games. Since then, Vietnamese sports have consistently ranked among the top three in Southeast Asia.
At the continental level, Vietnamese athletes have been striving to make the national anthem heard more often. Notably, we must remember the historic Olympic gold medal won by shooter Hoang Xuan Vinh at the Rio 2016 Olympics.
In men’s football, Viet Nam secured gold medals at the SEA Games in 2019 and 2021. Most recently, the 2024 ASEAN Championship marked the third time Viet Nam had won this title.
And in those historic moments, the image of President Ho Chi Minh is always respectfully present. He continues to accompany and stand by generations of Vietnamese athletes.
From village-level competitions to international arenas, alongside the national anthem, the song "As if Uncle Ho were with us on the day of great victory" still echoes in stadiums whenever Vietnamese athletes win.
"To work and study well, one must have good health. To stay healthy, regular exercise is necessary." Uncle Ho’s ideology remains as relevant in todays integration period as it was during the resistance era.
Viet Nam now impresses not only with its rapid development but also by strengthening international cooperation in sports. Viet Nam participates in and actively support programmes within the ASEAN Community, and in 2025, as chair, will host the 16th ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Sports and the 8th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Sports.
Just as Uncle Ho taught, each healthy citizen contributes to the strength of the entire nation, enabling Viet Nam to become "a strong people, a prosperous country".
The sporting spirit inspired by President Ho Chi Minh has become a driving force for Viet Nam to rise and affirm its place on the world map.
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