Years have passed. The war is a thing of the past. But the losses, suffering, and remnants of the two wars of resistance remain, deeply etched and weighing heavily on the lives and souls of many Vietnamese people. After the two wars, many families were plunged into hardship, losing their homes and loved ones. There are still young children, though not born during wartime, who suffer physical and emotional pain. And there are still many veterans who endure agonizing pain whenever the weather changes.
During his lifetime, President Ho Chi Minh once said: “Wounded soldiers, sick soldiers, military families, and families of martyrs are those who have contributed to the Fatherland and the people. Therefore, it is our duty to be grateful, to love and help them. This should be considered a duty of the people towards wounded and sick soldiers, not an act of charity.” Deeply moved by President Ho Chi Minh's teachings and demonstrating the principle of "Drinking water, remember the source," and "Eating fruit, remember the tree planter," for many years, the Party Committee, the Board of Directors, the Trade Union Executive Committee, and all staff and employees of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities have always paid attention to the work of showing gratitude and appreciation, caring for wounded soldiers, families of martyrs, and families who contributed to the revolution... through practical and effective actions such as regularly visiting and encouraging wounded soldiers, sick soldiers, military families, and families of martyrs working at the University, and directly visiting centers for the care of severely wounded soldiers in Hanoi, Bac Ninh, Phu Tho, Ha Nam, Ninh Binh, Thai Binh... to express gratitude, visit, and encourage wounded soldiers and relatives of martyrs' families on the occasions of July 27th, December 22nd, and the Lunar New Year.
In addition to caring for and visiting policy beneficiaries, the School's Trade Union also regularly organizes "Back to the Roots" activities for union members and staff to visit historical revolutionary sites across the country in provinces such as Son La, Tuyen Quang, Thai Nguyen, Lang Son, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, etc. Through these activities, they foster patriotism, the principle of remembering one's roots, and enhance the political awareness of union members.
Following in the footsteps of our forefathers in building and defending the Fatherland, today's generation of faculty and staff at the School are always proud and deeply grateful for their great sacrifices. This pride is expressed through our gratitude to the heroic martyrs, the wounded and disabled soldiers, the families who have contributed to the revolution, and through the training and nurturing of individuals who are both politically committed and professionally competent for the cause of building and defending the Fatherland today and in the future.
The "Gratitude and Repayment" work in general, and the gratitude and repayment work of the School's Trade Union in particular, is a deeply humane activity, both meaningful in sharing and encouraging policy beneficiaries, and having profound educational significance for each union member.
On the occasion of the 66th anniversary of the Day of War Invalids and Martyrs, July 27th, the Trade Union of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities organized a visit and gift-giving trip for a delegation of staff to the Liem Can and Duy Tien War Invalids Rehabilitation Centers (Ha Nam province).
The delegation from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities was surprised and moved to be greeted by a group of war veterans, solemnly dressed in their green military uniforms, with medals pinned to their chests, seated in rows in their wheelchairs. The sight of the wheelchairs, skillfully and expertly maneuvered by the veterans, slowly making their way along the small path within the center to the auditorium, evoked an indescribable emotion in us – something both majestic and solemn, yet also deeply moving. It was the image of soldiers who, regardless of the circumstances, always remain steadfast, disciplined, strong, and full of resilience.
Mr. Nguyen Sinh Hung, Director of the Duy Tien War Invalids Rehabilitation Center, said that the Center was established in 1957. At one point, the Center cared for nearly 500 war invalids from many provinces and cities across Vietnam, all wounded in the two wars of resistance against France and the United States. Currently, the Center is caring for 60 war invalids. Most of the war invalids at the Center use wheelchairs. Many are affected by chemical toxins and are unable to have children. Some are severely wounded, with disabilities up to 97%, facing many difficulties in their daily lives.
What is admirable is that, despite living in conditions that are not yet materially abundant, the staff and wounded soldiers at the Rehabilitation Center are very united, loving, and supportive of each other. The doctors and nurses care for the wounded soldiers with dedication and affection, as if they were their own family. The Center is a second home, a family for these soldiers who have suffered many hardships and disadvantages. Some young women have fallen in love with and married many of the wounded soldiers. There are families of wounded soldiers with three or four generations living at the Center, and they are exemplary cultural families.
Expressing gratitude and repaying kindness is one of the annual activities of the Trade Union of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities. But each year, as we meet again and pay tribute to the heroic sons of the Fatherland, our hearts still ache at the pain they have endured, filled with admiration for those who are "disabled but not defeated"—those who struggle day and night with their injuries but remain steadfast in their faith in the Party and loyal to the country.