12 August 2004

Ha Noi, Viet Nam: Twenty-three year old Nguyen Thi Tuyet Mai is the winner of a United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme contest aimed at educating Vietnamese youth on volunteering for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The announcement was made today on occasion of International Youth Day.

Initiated by UNV Viet Nam, the contest was launched in June offering one young Vietnamese a sponsorship of US $1,000 to carry out an activity promoting volunteerism for the MDGs.

Mai submitted the winning proposal based on the voluntary efforts of 24-year-old Nguyen Van Dung, who in 2003 spent one month traveling by bicycle from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City to raise awareness on the MDGs. Throughout his 2,100 km journey, he met with groups of young people, sharing information on the MDGs and distributing booklets highlighting initiatives to realize Viet Nam’s commitment to the goals.

“My initiative differs from Dung’s, as I will visit 13 provinces with the lowest MDG index ranking according to the latest MDG report published by the United Nations,” says the recent law school graduate. ” I will mainly use public transport instead of cycling. You could, indeed, see it as a follow-up of Dung’s initiative, as I would like to visit all those places where he spread the MDG message and talk to the people he had met to see the impacts”.

She says the trip will enable her to do something she has desired to do for some time: visit other parts of the country, meet people and deliver the MDG message. At the end of her journey, she hopes to share her stories with the media and university students.

Koen Van Acoleyen, UNVs Programme Officer in Viet Nam, says the idea behind the contest was to sensitize Viet Nam’s youth on the MDG campaign, while, at the same time, encourage them to get involved. “Young people are currently the largest demographic group in Viet Nam,” he says. “They have much to offer to help achieve the MDGs in every part of the country. Only with the help of large numbers of young people is it possible to achieve equitable development for all.”

Jordan Ryan, the UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Viet Nam, says the contest exemplifies what is needed to realize the MDGs in Viet Nam. “Youth is the major force of Viet Nam’s future,” he says. "The journey to the MDGs is a long and difficult one. The UN is pleased to see the young generation of Viet Nam taking on these challenges with enthusiasm and with the spirit of volunteerism. We are sure that Viet Nam will be a much more prosperous nation if the country taps into the energy of youth like Mai.”

Mai plans to start her MDG journey on Viet Nam’s National Day, 2 September and finish before International Volunteer Day - 5 December.