To our distinguished faculty, devoted staff, cherished parents, and most importantly, to our extraordinary students of the Nha Viet Institute and the Canh Buom Language and Training Center, welcome.

As we gather today to inaugurate the 2025–2026 academic year, we do so not merely to mark a new calendar, but to embark on a shared mission. We are here to affirm that the future we dream of is not something that happens to us; it is something we must build, stone by stone, with our own hands and hearts.

It is tempting to believe that progress is a gentle river that naturally carries us forward. Yet history reminds us that every true advance is an act of conscious creation, often challenging, always intentional. The world of tomorrow is not a gift; it is a sacred assignment. This year, let us anchor our journey to one guiding truth, which is also our theme for 2025–2026: Empower the present generations with knowledge, courage, and opportunity, and they will craft a future where progress is not inherited but invented.

Our first calling is knowledge, understood not as mere accumulation, but as the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge is the compass that guides the soul and the light that illuminates human potential. At Nha Viet and Canh Buom, our mission goes beyond textbooks and syllabi. We seek to nurture critical thinking, the ability to question, to perceive the unseen limitations of what already exists, and to imagine better possibilities for the common good. True learning is not about perfecting what has been built; it is about forging new vessels for human progress. This wisdom enables us to move beyond inherited constraints and envision the world not just as it is, but as it must become.

Yet wisdom alone remains silent without courage. Invention demands resilience, the courage to stand firm in your values even when doubt surrounds you. This year, I invite you to say with quiet conviction, “There is a more humane, more equitable path,” even when the world insists, “This is simply how things are.” True courage is not reckless defiance; it is the strength to embrace uncertainty, to risk failure, and to persist in defending a vision that others may not yet see. It is the belief that the pursuit of a meaningful future outweighs the comfort of the familiar moment. Courage is the steady force that keeps the engine of progress alive.

The third calling, opportunity, is our collective responsibility. It is the fertile field in which knowledge and courage can grow. For our students, this means open access to resources, mentorship, and the tools that transform imagination into innovation. For our faculty and staff, it means the freedom to lead, to experiment, and to create without fear of failure. Opportunity is not merely granted; it is cultivated. It is the open sky under which the human spirit learns to take flight.

When knowledge, courage, and opportunity intertwine within a community, they form a powerful engine of transformation. You, our students, are not here to preserve the systems you have inherited. You are here to redefine and rebuild them, to become the true architects of invention.

Let the 2025–2026 academic year be defined by your ingenuity, your compassion, and your courage. Let us not settle for inheriting a refined past, but instead commit ourselves to inventing a better future. I wish you a year of profound learning, deep resilience, and inspired creation.