On the morning of February 3, Ho Chi Minh City National University (VNU) organized the "Spring Journey" departure ceremony to bring students and workers back to their hometowns to celebrate Tet and a meeting for students celebrating Tet away from home. The activity aims to promptly care for and support students and workers away from home in difficult circumstances during the 2024 Lunar New Year.

The program "Spring Journey" was deployed by VNU-HCM to all students at universities in HCMC from December 2023. This is also the first time VNU-HCM organized, 6 workers and 225 students were given gifts and bus tickets to return home for Tet.

The buses started from the dormitory of Ho Chi Minh City National University (Dong Hoa ward, Di An city, Binh Duong province) and went through 17 provinces and cities with 2 main routes. The Central route from Ho Chi Minh City to Thanh Hoa and from Ho Chi Minh City to the Central Highlands provinces (Dak Nong, Dak Lak, Gia Lai). In addition, the Organizing Committee also gave bus tickets and Tet gifts to 12 disadvantaged students to the provinces of Kon Tum, Hau Giang, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu and Ca Mau.

Nguyen Hai Hieu, a second-year student at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (VNU-HCM), said: “My hometown is Quang Ngai. For the past two years, my parents in the countryside have been unemployed. I thought I would not return home to celebrate Tet to save some money. When I heard that I had been approved for a free ticket to return home, I was relieved. The bus trip not only helps reduce the worry about money, but it is also a source of happiness and sharing for the community.”

At the ceremony, Associate Professor, Dr. Vu Hai Quan, Director of Ho Chi Minh City National University, sent New Year wishes to students and workers, hoping that the trips would bring a warm spring, full reunion with relatives to celebrate Tet in their hometown. This is a spring journey connecting love, sharing many memorable memories of students on the way home.

On the same morning, representatives of Ho Chi Minh City National University also held a meeting, wished a happy new year, and gave gifts to 225 students staying to celebrate the New Year, including 81 students staying in the dormitory.

BUI TUAN