Editor’s note: Among the 257 entries submitted to the “Ky Vong Viet Nam 20 Nam Toi” (“My Expectations for Vietnam in 20 Years”) writing contest as of the afternoon of June 16, 21 were from people aged from 15 to 20.

Below are some of their expectations for Vietnam in 2035.

* Made-in-Vietnam products exported the world over (Vo Nguyen Bao Trung, an 18-year-old Vietnamese American in Arizona)

Just like my peers, I wish that Vietnam will make the most of its desirable nature. For my part, I wish that in the next 20 years, made-in-Vietnam goods would rival those from other countries, and prove long-standing prejudices against locally-made products wrong.

In actuality, Vietnamese goods have made notable improvements in recent years. They are now of higher quality and affordable prices. Domestic items have made up a major chunk at shopping malls and trade centers.

Many companies and production facilities have stepped up their advertising campaigns to introduce their products to consumers, particularly those in remote, mountainous areas.

Scores of such programs have been launched and achieved encouraging initial results, including the organization of market sessions featuring local merchandise in rural areas and the launch campaigns to boost Vietnamese people’s consumption of local items. According to the latest survey by TV Plus Co., one year after a program called “Nguoi Viet Uu Tien Dung Hang Viet” (Vietnamese People Prioritize Vietnamese Goods), over 58 percent of local consumers have shown interest in domestic products. In addition, statistics by FTA Vietnam, a counseling and research company, showed that 71 percent of consumers have placed their trust in high-quality Vietnamese goods.

Optimistically, I also hope that by 2035, Vietnamese people would take pride in local goods taking up an important part of global merchandise. Local articles would see breakthroughs and be on a par with those from traditional powers.

Domestic items would then crowd shelves and windows not only at local shopping malls but also at trade centers in other countries, with a wide range of products rivaling global brand names.

* A country with gender equality (Nguyen Thi Hong Ngoc, 16, from Ninh Binh Province, northern Vietnam)

Today’s Vietnam boasts a number of policies on gender equality, allowing women to have more rights. However, Vietnamese women remain at a serious disadvantage compared to their male counterparts.

I hope 20 years later, Vietnam will pride itself on better gender equality with more professional females. More women would hold key positions in the state apparatus and its agencies. The retirement regime would also be adopted more fairly than it is now. Outstanding female professionals would be allowed to retire at a later age so that they could contribute more to the country.

There would then be no differentiation when it comes to recruitment. Males and females could both be selected if they meet such requirements as education levels, expertise and soft skills.

Regarding family affairs, 20 years from now, both husbands and wives would share their household chores, care for and educate their children and go to work to provide for their family. Spouses would help each other, and share their work and household chores so that they would live a happy, harmonious life. Whether their unborn child is a boy or a girl, both parents would be elated and expectant.

* Vietnamese people would be civilized and friendly (Truong Binh An, 17, from Dak Lak Province, the Central Highlands region)

My greatest wish is that Vietnamese people would have higher awareness and desirable habits 20 years later. By then, Vietnam would have turned into a happy, civilized and hospitable country in foreigners’ eyes.

Our country is home to many beautiful spots. I hope that in 20 years’ time, the most gorgeous and pristine places would be fully tapped into and safeguarded. Vietnam would then welcome influxes of international tourists as “one of the most stunning can’t-miss countries.”  

People would no longer litter all over or cause damage to historical relics, man-made lakes, rivers or even beaches.

I wish that visitors to Vietnam would return to the country a few times or even spend some of their final years in the country, where people are hugely cheery, polite, environmentally conscious and willing to help out those in need.

In addition, streets everywhere, particularly places of interest, would be astonishingly clean and civilized by 2035. People would use public means of transport more often, while they would abide better by traffic laws. Residents would also jog in the morning and afternoon.

Streets would be lined with lush vegetation and flowers. Public fish ponds would be created, and more flocks of birds would hop carefree in parks. Thieves would no longer walk among us, and there would be no more unpleasant sights such as spitting, littering or urinating in public space.

* Farmers’ hardship would be alleviated (Nguyen Thi Hai Van, 20, from Hue City, central Vietnam)

As I was born and grew up in a rural family, I’ve always felt the hardship and suffering experienced by farmers in my beloved hometown.

As a student, perhaps, I remain incapable of contributing to the country. However, I’ve cherished a dream for those farmers.

They would be relieved of their difficulties and enjoy a more fulfilling life in the near future. All their hard work and perspiration would pay off with bumper crops.