"What are your expectations for Vietnam in 20 years" and "How to turn these expectations into reality?" received lively discussions by many students of the Academy of Journalism and Foreign Trade University in Hanoi in the opening ceremony of the writing contest.

Journalist Le Xuan Trung, member of editorial committee, chief editor of Tuoi Tre newspaper, said the contest "Expectations for Vietnam in the next 20 years" (co-organized by Tuoi Tre newspaper and the World Bank in Vietn Nam) launched just over 20 days, but received 190 submissions, approximately nine submission perday. This goes beyond the expectations of the organizers. The youngest participant is 15 years old and the oldest is 84 years old.

Mr. Xuan Trung said, through the articles, participants want to entrust their expectations of a developed economic, social, educational of Viet Nam in the next 20 years. Viet Nam would be a civilized and equality society, with meritocracy policy. Effective education would meet the needs of society. Living environment is healthy and the country is green, clean, and beautiful.

The ideas and solutions from participants will also actively contribute to the Report Vietnam 2035, compiled by the World Bank and the Government of Vietnam.

Mr. Le Xuan Trung present the writing contest. Photo: Nguyen Khanh

Dream big but ... focus on reality

In the Foreign Trade University, there was vibrant atmosphere right from the introduction of the competition. When journalist Le Xuan Trung suggested: "What is your dream? What can your dreams contribute to the development of the country in the future?".

"When I started my college, I have only a simple desire, which is to get a job with steady income after graduation. But two years of study at the Foreign Trade University of, a dynamic environment, gave me a more open perspective. My current ambition is to become a member of the Politburo after 20 years. I think every human being is born to answer three questions: What was I born to do? Who will I be in the future? And When I die, does anyone remember me? "- said Pham Duy Thang, a students of international economics department.

"I dream to become a leading expert in communications and public relations because it is the sector where I can develop my full potential. Twenty years from now, if I can make my dream come true, I think I will also be an important factor in creating a breakthrough for media in Viet Nam. In twenty years, I think Viet Nam will be developed. Particularly, press and media will reach its top …"- Khanh Linh, a student of international commerce, confirmed.

Nguyen Minh Thanh, a student of the Academy of Journalism questioned: "I have a dream that Viet Nam will become a country of highly effective human resources but I do not know how to turn the ideas into reality".

In response to concerns of students Member , Mr Sandeep Mahajan , chief economist at the World Bank and a member VN construction group Vietnam Report 2035 , said the high quality of human resources is essential for the development of VN future .

In response to concerns of Nguyen Minh Thanh, Mr Sandeep Mahajan, chief economist of the World Bank Viet Nam and a member author group of Report Vietnam 2035, said the high quality of human resources is essential for the development of Viet Nam in the future.

Mr. Sandeep said the organizer would welcome any ideas that are feasible but the contestants must present their clear and persuasive ideas. He encouraged the students to have big but realistic dreams.

"For example, annually Viet Nam attracts on average 7-10 million tourists, if you put forward the idea of increasing the number of tourists to Viet Nam in the next 20 years to about 35 million visitors, it is a possible dream. But 200 million visitors is a unrealistic figure."

Mr. Sandeep said Viet Nam would change dramatically and would gain many great achievements in 20 years, in parallel with significant challenges. World Bank representative encouraged the students to predict the challenges that would face Viet Nam and work out specific solutions.

Mr. Sandeep was talking with students. Photo credit: N.KH.

"There is no uniform formula for success"

Mr. Sandeep Mahajansaid: "There is no uniform formula for success. No experience of a country can be successfully applied to all other countries.”

From his perspective, Viet Nam has no strength in oil resources or diamond as a other countries, but the countries with similar background as Viet Nam had significant breakthroughs such as Japan , Korea , Singapore ...

Viet Nam has focused on human resource training, taken advantage of its human resources and has had certain success in training human resources for the country.

"Other countries must also look beyond the next 20 years. Because unlike investment in college construction or city building, there are actions we can not assess in short term" said Mr. Sandeep Mahajan.

When a student asked about specific data on the development of Viet Nam in 20 years in the Report, Mr Sandeep Mahajan said that it is difficult to make predictions about the future as it depends on many elements.

Accordingly, instead of assuming correct figures, the Bank also introduced a perspective for Viet Nam. But it will depend on the efforts of the Government and people.

"The effort will determine how our future will look like, and if those assumptions about our future are too ambitious or achievable", Mr. Sandeep said.

Mr. Sandeep "unveiled" that from an average income of $2,000/person/year as today , there are some predictions about the average income of 5000-10000 USD/perso/year in 20 years.

Accordingly, the development of the country to reach the range of 5000-10000 USD/person/year depends on the choices that the Government would make, and the choices of the people towards development economy.

These choices will in turn depend on the achievement that the country has gained before, on global economic development trend and direction of development of other nations.

Not just a contest ...

Shortly after the introduction from journalists Le Xuan Trung, Dr. Bui Anh Tuan, principal of Foreign Trade University, encouraged the entire students to join the competition "My expectations for Viet Nam in the next 20 years".

"This is not just a writing contest but an opportunity for students to express themselves, demonstrate their knowledge, expectations about the country's development in the future as well as their thoughts, concerns for the contribution of each individual to the overall development of the country ", Dr. Tuan emphasized.

Mr. Truong Ngoc Nam, director of the Institute of Journalism and Communication, encouraged all students to participate in the contest to help build and transform the country's potential into reality.

"If our students participate and win in the contest, we will contribute to the development of the country" - Mr Nam said.

Source: Tuoi Tre Newspaper