The program "Joining Vietnam to Advance" is organized by Nhan Dan Newspaper in coordination with the Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of National Defense and the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union.
With the message "10 billion green steps journey - For a sustainable Vietnam", the program "Joining Vietnam to Advance 2026" is organized on the occasion of the 81st anniversary of the August Revolution, the Traditional Day of the People's Police and National Day 2/9.
The opening ceremony took place simultaneously in 34 provinces and cities across the country. The main bridge point is located at Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square, by Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi, connecting with 33 local bridge points.
At the bridge points, delegates and people performed the flag salute ceremony, watched images of the Flag Raising ceremony being broadcast live from Ba Dinh Square, and then officially started walking activities.
In the Hoan Kiem Lake area, a large number of people were present early. Many families brought young children to participate, turning walking activities not only into an opportunity to exercise but also a meaningful experience during the National Day holiday.
Together with children, create "green steps
Not only participating in walking activities, from August 29, many activities in response to the program have been organized in localities.
In Hanoi, the display space of Nhan Dan Newspaper facing Hoan Kiem Lake attracts a large number of children. Here, children are instructed to take advantage of familiar materials such as milk cartons, plastic bottles, straws, bottle caps to create keychains, flowers and many handicrafts.
The activity brings children a close approach to environmental protection, while creating space for parents to play with their children, create and form green living habits from small things.
According to Ms. Dong Phuong Lan (46 years old, Hanoi), participating in activities with children is a meaningful experience, helping children both play and have more opportunities to practice skills.
I want to participate with my child and let him make products himself at the activity. I think such experiences will help my child be more confident, develop creativity and boldly communicate," Ms. Lan shared.
Through accumulating each step and participating in community activities, the program aims to spread the spirit of health training, building a positive and environmentally friendly lifestyle.
According to data on the program information portal, as of 6 pm on August 29, more than 182,000 people in 34 provinces and cities participated, contributing more than 1.2 billion steps, equivalent to more than 10% of the 10 billion step target set by the Organizing Committee.
This is the second year the program has been implemented. In 2025, the program set a target of 1 billion steps but attracted more than 1.1 million participants, recording more than 6 billion steps.
From that result, in 2026, the goal is raised to 10 billion green steps, creating a larger-scale community journey, towards the connection between physical training, environmental protection and responsibility to the community.
The participation of families, especially young children, adds a meaningful color to this journey. Each step is not only calculated in numbers on the system but also becomes a specific action to spread the spirit of healthy living, green living and together towards a sustainable Vietnam.
