Thích
At 11:59 a.m. on August 1, 2026, after nearly six days navigating through the frozen waters of the Arctic Ocean, the icebreaker Le Commandant Charcot sounded its horn and flashed its lights, marking the unforgettable moment when we reached 90° North - the Geographic North Pole.
I felt profoundly fortunate and grateful to stand at one of the most extraordinary places on Earth: A place where all lines of longitude converge, where every direction points south, where the Earth's axis of rotation passes, and where taking just a few steps around a single point allows one to say they have literally "walked around the world".
Cold. Damp. Wind. Snowflakes drifted through the air. The endless white of the sea ice blended seamlessly with the deep blue of the Arctic Ocean. The breeze carried the faint salty scent of the sea, while beneath our feet came the subtle crackling and shifting sounds of drifting ice.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
Strangely, amid such icy surroundings, I felt a surge of warm energy filling my chest.
At 90° North, what lies beneath our feet is not solid land, but a vast and deep ocean covered by constantly moving sea ice driven by winds and ocean currents. The North Pole is therefore not a fixed landmark. There is no "permanent" monument here as there is at 90° South. While the coordinates remain 90° North, the ice beneath one's feet is perpetually drifting. Only the ship's navigation system can determine the precise location of the Pole at any given moment.
Perhaps nowhere else illustrates more vividly the Buddhist teaching of impermanence: nothing remains constant; all things and phenomena are continually moving, transforming, and evolving. At that remarkable moment, I found myself reflecting that all living beings, humanity, and even our planet resemble the drifting ice beneath us or the white clouds wandering across the Arctic sky.
We did not come here to conquer nature, for we are far too small to do so. We came simply to witness, to be present at one of the world's most extraordinary coordinates. More importantly, this journey deepened our understanding of the Earth, reminded us of humanity's insignificance in the face of nature, and strengthened our shared responsibility to protect the blue planet we all call home.
Years ago, we stood at 90° South - the Geographic South Pole. Today, we have reached its exact opposite: 90° North.
Yet nowhere is truly the end of the world. Every pole opens a new direction. Every journey ends only to reveal another horizon. What truly matters is not merely how far we have traveled, but what each journey teaches us about the world, about humanity, and about ourselves.
From the Geographic North Pole, I wish to send a message of confidence and hope to the young people of Vietnam and to every member of the CEO Group family: When our aspirations are great enough, when we work hard, work wisely, persevere, and never stop learning, we can surpass limits that once seemed impossible.
Each of us has our own "pole" to reach. It may not be 90° North or 90° South, but rather a goal in education, career, business, or life itself.
Dare to dream. Take action. Keep moving forward with perseverance. For no destination is ever the end of a dream.
Doan Van Binh
Geographic North Pole, August 1, 2026
