On the evening of September 19th, in Ea Nuol commune, Dak Lak province, the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union held the ceremony honouring recipients of the 21st Luong Dinh Cua award along with the awards for the 2026 Rural Youth Startup Project competition.

In 2026, among 94 applications submitted by 31 provincial and municipal youth union chapters, the organizing board selected 30 outstanding young individuals to present the Luong Dinh Cua award. The nominated models have created job opportunities for 771 permanent alongside 10,934 seasonal workers, contributing to livelihood creation, income enhancement, combined with local socio-eco development.

Alongside the Luong Dinh Cua award, the 2026 Rural Youth Startup Project competition attracted 315 projects from 33 provincial together with municipal Youth Union chapters. Following three regional semi-final rounds, the organizing board selected 29 projects appointing to participate in the national final round; simultaneously, awarded prizes to 9 outstanding projects.

Mr. Nguyen Kim Quy, Secretary of the Youth Union Central Committee, President of the Vietnam Youth Federation, and comrade Y Giang Gry Nie Knong, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Dak Lak Province, presenting the 2026 Luong Dinh Cua award to the outstanding recipients.

Addressing the ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Kim Quy, Secretary of the Youth Union Central Committee, President of the Vietnam Youth Federation, emphasized that young people must take the lead in digital transformation, high-tech application, AI, automation, combined with biotechnology. He urged them to develop green agriculture, a circular economy, low-emission practices, while strengthening linkages as well as establishing youth-led cooperatives and cooperative groups. He expressed hope that the honourees would continue to pioneer, inspiring others, supporting youth union members along with young people in turning ideas coupled with aspirations into concrete models in conjunction with products, thereby contributing to developing modern, sustainable agriculture along with rural areas.

At the ceremony, the Central Committee of the Youth Union presented the 2026 Luong Dinh Cua award to 30 individuals with outstanding achievements through initiatives, innovations, scientific -technical advance application in production combined with business, thereby successfully building legitimate wealth.

On this occasion, the Central Committee also awarded one first-prize, two second-prizes, three third-prizes, together with three consolation-prizes to outstanding contestants in the 2026 Rural Youth Startup Project competition. Notably, the first prize went to the project “Agricultural Experience Tourism - Lam Thuong Rendezvous - Reviving Tay Ethnic Identity linked to a sustainable Mai bamboo value chain” by contestant Nguyen Thi Dim (Lao Cai province).

Translated by TRINH THUY