President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (fourth from left) and delegates launch the Humanitarian Month (Photo: VNA)

With the theme “Connecting the community, spreading acts of kindness,” the month aims to call people to connect by doing kind deeds, no matter how small.

Addressing the event, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc stressed that voluntary and humanitarian work is not the sole responsibility of the State or any single organization, community or individual, but the common responsibility of the entire society, in which the State should play a proactive and orienting role.

The President appealed to agencies, organisations, enterprises, philanthropists and people from all walks of life to continue joining hands with the VNRC and the Party and State to support the poor and the disadvantaged people, thus building a united community staying healthy and safe amid a pandemic, natural disaster or war.

VNRC President Bui Thi Hoa said during the Humanitarian Month 2022 from May 1 to 31, the whole VNRC will strive to mobilise 400 billion VND to help one million people in difficult circumstances.

On that occasion, the VNRC launched two key programmes for the next five years, including the "Safety for poor and disadvantaged fishermen" and "Nutrition for poor and disabled children."

Initiated by the VNRC in 2018, the movement has mobilised 1.513 trillion VND, supporting 3.3 million people in difficult circumstances.

At the ceremony, domestic and foreign benefactors donated and committed nearly 400 billion VND to the VNRC.