05 December 2003

Ha Noi, Viet Nam: Inspired by “Thang’s Journey to the Millennium Development Goals and Beyond”, a booklet published recently by the United Nations in Viet Nam, Nguyen Van Dung started his bicycle journey from Ha Noi to Ho Chi Minh City to help spread the UN message about poverty reduction to young people.

Dung, a 24 year-old, Law graduate and bike enthusiast, sees his trip as an opportunity to fulfil his dream to visit different parts of his homeland and “see things that I only know through books, newspapers and television”. He loves cycling and often jumps on his bicycle to visit his family in Bac Giang some 80kms from Ha Noi.

Dung chose 5th December to start his journey as “It’s International Volunteer Day (IVD), and I’m volunteering to do this trip to distribute the booklets to young people in each community I visit so they can understand the issues our country faces in the development process.” Dung said. His trip coincides with the opening of South East Asia (SEA) Games, the biggest regional sport event ever organized in Viet Nam, where tens of thousands of young people will volunteer their support. “I want to promote the volunteer spirit of my generation and my country’s contribution to a SEA Games with solidarity, friendship for peace, and development” he said.

With support from the Youth Union, Dung will stop at Hue, Hoi An, Nha Trang, Da Lat, Vung Tau to distribute booklets to the local Youth Union and young people. The UN welcomes Dung’s initiative to spread the message of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) among Vietnam’s youth. UN Volunteers will sponsor Dung’s 40 day journey. “Young people make up the majority of the population and are the key to Viet Nam’s prosperous future,” said Jordan Ryan, UN Resident Coordinator. He added, “Dung’s goodwill and determination will encourage other young people to become more involved in the nation’s development”

The eight MDGs – eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; achieve universal primary education; promote gender equality; reduce child mortality; improve maternal health; combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; ensure environmental sustainability; and develop a global partnership for development – were adopted by some 189 countries, including Viet Nam, at the historic UN Millennium Summit in September 2000. The MDGs represent a consensus by world leaders on global development priorities and goals to the year 2015.