Meeting two babies in Ninh Giang who were once held by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong

Pride forever

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, in his capacity as Chairman of the National Assembly, attended the "National Great Unity Festival" in Bo Duong village, Hong Phong commune on the morning of November 14, 2009. After attending the National Great Unity Festival at the village cultural house, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong visited teachers and students at the Bo Duong village kindergarten.

According to the photos taken by Hai Duong Newspaper reporters, we found two children who were once held by the General Secretary. They are Dang Thi Thanh Hien, 20 years old, and Ngo Hai An, 18 years old, both from Bo Duong village, Hong Phong commune.

Nearly 15 years have passed and the whole village affectionately calls me “the baby that Uncle Trong carried”, Ms. Thanh Hien recalls: “At that time, I was only 5 years old. That day, when I went to school, there were many people coming to school, someone picked me up to ask questions and gave me candy. It was not until I was in 3rd or 4th grade that I realized that the person who held me that day was General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. Because of that impression, I was very proud. Since then, I have always learned and followed the activities of the General Secretary like a grandchild looking up to his grandfather."

Teacher Le Thi Kim Dinh, Hong Phong Kindergarten, who was then the Head of the Bo Duong Village Kindergarten, still remembers that around 9-10 am, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong visited the Bo Duong Village Kindergarten to visit the children. “At first, I thought that Uncle Nguyen Phu Trong was a strict person, and it would be difficult for us to get close to him. But the General Secretary was very simple, friendly, and kindly visited the teachers and students of the school, giving out candy to the children. He happily held Hien, a 5-year-old, and An, a nursery student,” teacher Dinh recalled.

Motivation to strive

On the afternoon of July 19, Hai Duong electronic newspaper published an article: "Nearly 15 years ago, comrade Nguyen Phu Trong attended the National Unity Day in Ninh Giang (Hai Duong)", Ngo Hai An was surprised to realize that he was being held in the arms of the General Secretary. Not believing his eyes, An quickly showed it to his mother for confirmation. For An, the photo was truly valuable, having only seen it after 15 years. An's family printed a large photo and hung it solemnly in the living room with all the honor and pride.

Unexpectedly, there was a photo of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong holding himself in his arms after 15 years, but An could not help but be moved when he learned that the General Secretary had passed away. "I am very sad that the General Secretary has gone forever. But this photo will help me keep the beautiful memories of the exemplary leader, a lifetime of dedication and loyalty to the Party, the Fatherland and the people. It is not only a memory but also a reminder for myself to try harder and make more efforts," An emotionally shared.

Dang Thi Thanh Hien is a second-year student at the University of Economics and Technology in Hanoi. Looking back at the photo of her being held in the arms of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, Hien emotionally said: “This moment will forever be an honor for me throughout my life. I will never stop studying and trying to become a useful person for society,” Hien expressed.