Minister of Ethnic and Religious Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung has been awarded the Third-Class Labor Medal by the President of Vietnam for his outstanding contributions to a nationwide campaign to eliminate makeshift and dilapidated housing.

The medal was presented on the morning of January 14 during the ministry’s 2025 year-end review and 2026 planning conference.

Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long personally handed the award to Minister Dao Ngoc Dung in recognition of his exemplary leadership in the national movement to provide safe housing for disadvantaged groups.

Deputy Minister Nong Thi Ha highlighted the campaign’s achievements, describing it as one of the most significant milestones of 2025. Throughout the year, a total of 334,234 homes were built or renovated - 255,310 newly constructed and 78,924 repaired - for war veterans, impoverished households, and near-poor families struggling with inadequate living conditions.

The program had a wide-reaching social impact, reinforcing public confidence in the government’s leadership and spreading a message of solidarity and compassion. It also showcased the strengths of Vietnam’s social welfare policies and community-driven development model.

At the heart of this success was Minister Dao Ngoc Dung, who not only proposed the initiative but also served as the permanent deputy head of the national steering committee and led the committee’s executive body overseeing the program’s implementation across the country.

“The President has signed Decision No. 2502/QD-CTN to award the Third-Class Labor Medal to Minister Dao Ngoc Dung for his exceptional achievements in the national campaign to eliminate makeshift and substandard homes,” said Deputy Minister Nong Thi Ha.

Beyond providing shelter, the program laid a foundation for long-term poverty alleviation. Each new home symbolizes a fresh start and an opportunity to transform lives.

The campaign also carried symbolic weight, launched in celebration of Vietnam’s national milestones: the 50th anniversary of reunification, the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution, and National Day on September 2.
It stands as a defining achievement of the Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs - one with nationwide influence and lasting significance.

PV