Quang Tri (VNA) – Le Minh Hieu, a 12th grader of Quang Tri High School in the central province of the same name, has been named one of 16 young delegates representing Vietnam at the 49th Ship for South-East Asian and Japanese Youth Programme (SSEAYP) next year. His story is a vivid testament to the determination, resilience and aspirations of the younger generation in the era of integration, as he strives to expand his knowledge and contribute to the community.
Born and raised in Quang Tri ward, Hieu began attending advanced English classes from the fourth grade. He is also an active member of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, enthusiastically participating in volunteer work, start-up initiatives, scientific research, and cultural exchange activities in his locality.
This year, Hieu and a friend jointly developed a project titled “Self-propelled wheelchair supporting people with hemiplegic amyotrophy in mobility and communication,” which won a first prize at the national science and technology contest. The Ministry of Education and Training selected the project as one of Vietnam’s nine entries to the 2025 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) held in May in Ohio, the US, where the pair achieved a fourth place overall.
Hieu recalled that he first learned about SSEAYP in the 10th grade through social media. The programme’s combination of cultural exchange, skills development and international networking immediately appealed to him. Although he was too young to apply at the time, he began honing his knowledge, improving his English, and accumulating achievements to pursue this goal.
When he finally met the eligibility criteria, Hieu submitted an application showcasing an impressive record and a personal essay emphasising his sense of community responsibility. In the application, he expressed a strong desire to contribute to fostering friendship between young people from Vietnam, other ASEAN member states, and Japan.
For the talent segment of the selection process, instead of performing a traditional item, Hieu chose to blend technology and culture by creating a digital application to generate chord arrangements for a song about Vietnam. “As I could not bring a guitar with me, I wrote code to create the chords. I also designed software that transforms images into 3D pictures bearing the Vietnamese flag. Through this, I wanted to present to international friends a country that is friendly, innovative, and rich in cultural identity,” he explained.
SSEAYP is an annual youth exchange programme organised by the Government of Japan in cooperation with ASEAN member states since 1974, aimed at enhancing mutual understanding, friendship and cooperation among young people in the region. The 49th programme is scheduled to take place from January 15 to February 17, 2026, aboard the Nippon Maru, travelling from Japan to Singapore and Thailand. Delegates will pay courtesy calls on government leaders of the host countries, visit institutions, schools and landmarks, engage with local youth, and experience local cultures.
As the sole representative from Quang Tri, Hieu carries both pride and a special sense of responsibility. He is actively preparing his onboard presentations, with a focus on portraying the image of Vietnam and its people, as well as his place of birth – a land of heroic tradition, scholarly spirit, and strong potential for integration.
“I have prepared small gifts bearing the imprint of my hometown, such as keyrings featuring the local Hien Luong bridge and ancient citadel, jungle hats with the Vietnamese flag, and tourist maps of Quang Tri. I am also planning to create a multimedia presentation combining music and virtual reality images to introduce Quang Tri,” Hieu said./.
