Speaking at the opening ceremony, Vice Chairwoman of the municipal People’s Committee Tran Thi Dieu Thuy highlighted the crucial role of youth in all countries, particularly their pioneering role in creating roads towards sustainable development goals for communities.

She affirmed that the city has always created favourable conditions for students and youngsters to maximize their potential and capabilities through a range of activities.

HCM City leaders hope that the festival and forum will contribute to enhancing exchanges and connections, fostering mutual understanding between youth and students from various countries and territories with their peers in Vietnam in general and Ho Chi Minh City in particular, she said.

Tran Thu Ha, Deputy Secretary of the municipal Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union chapter and President of the Vietnamese Student Association in Ho Chi Minh City shared that the festival’s theme “Igniting youth-led social impact: from local to global” underscores the pioneering role of youth and students in promoting positive changes for community development, encouraging their contributions to global issues, especially the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations.

The four-day festival also seeks to create an environment that enhances skills, fosters leadership, and drives positive community changes. Activities will allow local and international students to interact and experience diverse cultures, and promote the city’s cultural beauty and development achievements globally.

The event has attracted significant interest from students at universities, colleges, and institutes both domestically and internationally. From nearly 500 student registrations for the festival and submissions for the International Student Science Forum, the organising committee selected 177 official delegates from 11 countries. This includes 79 international students, seven representatives from Vietnamese student associations abroad and 20 students from various regions within Vietnam. These delegates are outstanding representatives in various fields, coming together to affirm their commitment to community action by establishing the "Friendship Youth Network" during the festival’s formal session.

The festival will also feature tours to cultural and historical sites in the city, traditional cultural and artistic activities at the Phuong Nam theater, and a visit to the municipal’s People's Committee headquarters, among others./. VNA