The opening ceremony of the 11th National Women's Congress
The Congress was honored to welcome to the Opening Ceremony Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, formerParty General Secretary Le Kha Phieu, former President Le Duc Anh, former President Tran Duc Luong, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Sinh Hung, former Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Van An; leaders of Ministries, Departments, agencies, Vietnam Fatherland Front, mass organizations; leaders of Ha Noi Party Committee; Vietnam heroic mothers; representatives of the armed forces heroes, labor heroes; revolutionary veterans; VWU leaders of all periods; representatives of brother military units; representatives of embassies, diplomatic corps, international organizations, NGOs in Ha Noi; domestic and international journalists. Attending the Congress are 979 official delegates representing different women strata, ethnics, religions and age groups throughout the country. The Congress also received congratulation letters and flowers from the former Party General Secretary Do Muoi, General Vo Nguyen Giap, and many domestic and international organizations.
With the theme: “Unity, Creativity, Integration and Development” the 11th NationalWomen'sCongress has important tasks: to review the implementation of the Resolution of the 10th NationalWomen'sCongress; to define the women’s direction, goal, tasks of women’s movement and of VWU in the term 2012-2017; to elect the 11th National Executive Committee; and to approve the VWU’s Statutes (revised). Leaders of Party, State and delegates of the Congress
Making opening remarks , Mme. Nguyen Thi Thanh Hoa, VWU President on behalf of all women in the country expressed sincere thanks to the Party and State for their attention and directions towards women’s movement and VWU activities: “The Polit- Bureau supported the policy of extending the working age women in deputy -minister and equivalent positions. The Party Central Secretariat recognized the 20th October as the Vietnam Women Day. The National Assembly approved the budget for Gender equality. The Government adopted the Plan of Action to implement the Resolution No. 11 of the Polit-Bureau on women’s work. The Prime Minister approved 5 programs for women, i.e. programs of vocational training and job creation, child rearing, education of virtuous characters, free provision of Women Newspapers; agreed to establish the Fund for supporting women talents, setting up Vietnam Women Academy and especially decided to provide additional support of 100 billion VND to the Fund for Poor Women. The practical attention of the Party and State has enourmously encouraged women at different strata to promote their good tradition, unite and actively participate in patriotic emulation movements”. 
Mme. Hoa requested the Congress to seriously review achievements and limitations of women movement and VWU in the past term; concentrate on discussing, analysing the reasons, drawing lessons and defining the most suitable VWU directions and main tasks in the next term. Each delegate needs to collect one’s intellects, promote democracy and creativity so that the XI National Women’s Congress will be a Congress of “Unity, Creativity, Integration and Development”.
On behalf of the Party and Stateleaders, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong acknowledged and appraised contribution by the Vietnamese women “It is clear that during the past 5 years the women’s movement has made new steps and contributed actively to the national innovation, construction anddefense. Vietnam Women’s Union continues to promote the key role in the women’s work and gender equality; achieved progress in renovating contents and methods of action; came up with many initiatives, recommendations of gathering and mobilizing women strata to take part in emulation of working, producing, studying; cared for and protected women’s legitimate rights; took part in building the Party, governance, great national unity; contributed to increase the awareness, education, capacity, poverty eradication, income, healthcare for women.”
The General Secretary showed his strong belief that the Vietnamese women’s movement in the next term will make greater development and contribution to the implementation of Resolution of the XI National Party’s Congress. He presented the Congress the banner with the writing “Vietnamese women: unity, creativity, integration and development”.
General Secretariat Nguyen Phu Trong presented Banner to the VWU Presidium
At the Opening Ceremony, there were report reviewing women’s movement and performance of VWU in the tenure 2007-2012 and proposing directions and main tasks in the tenure 2012-2017; report of delegates’ status; and remarks by Congress delegates. In the afternoon, the Congress continued with the review of the VWU X Executive Committee, remarks by delegates and a documentary film on women’s movements and VWU activities. 
