President Ho Chi Minh

Under the leadership of President Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, from an oppressive nation which lived in hardship of war, became a peaceful, independent, free and equal, friendly country with the international community. President Ho Chi Minh's call "Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom" can be considered as a living message to nations, urging them to have high determination and avoidance of the loss of independence.

In the current globalization and international integration, President Ho Chi Minh's lessons on conditional concessive behaviours in the struggle for peace and in international relations are really a valuable heritage to protect the present peace. Those who used to talk to him paid respect to a soft, patient and peaceful person who always found a way to reconcile, praising President Ho Chi Minh as the one who always knew how to solve difficult problems with a smile on his face.

President Ho Chi Minh was the one who linked the bridge of friendship, promoting exchanges and contacts to enhance mutual understanding between nations. 

In the Little Flame magazine, No. 39, in 1924, a Soviet writer and journalist wrote that Nguyen Ai Quoc radiated a style of culture, not European culture, but perhaps a future culture. “Through the high manner in the warm voice of Nguyen Ai Quoc, we could feel the quietness of world-wide friendship.”

After the August Revolution in 1945, President Ho Chi Minh shortly announced Vietnam’s consistent foreign policy to make friends with all democratic countries and cause no animosity towards anyone.

At the 24th UNESCO General Assembly in Paris, France, in 1987, it passed a resolution on marking the 100th birthday of President Ho Chi Minh as the "Hero of national liberation and a great man of culture” in 1990. In this important resolution, the UNESCO General Assembly recommended member countries to join in the 100th celebration of President Ho Chi Minh's birthday by organizing specific activities, thereby making people understand the great stature of his thoughts and contributions to the cause of national liberation.

Following the UNESCO resolution, specific activities have been organized in many parts of the world to mark the great Vietnamese leader’s birthday. Speaking at the international conference "President Ho Chi Minh - Hero of the national liberation of Vietnam, a great man of culture” held in Hanoi in March 1990, Dr. Modagat Ahmet, UNESCO Regional Director in the Asia-Pacific region, and special representative of UNESCO's General Director, emphasized that few historical characters become part of the legend since they were alive and it is clear that President Ho Chi Minh Minh is one of them. 

Especially in India, in the spirit of considering President Ho Chi Minh's 100th birthday not only an international duty but also the national responsibility of all Indians, the Government of India established a national committee to celebrate President Ho Chi Minh's 100th birthday led by Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar. Many solemn celebrations were held for a year, from May 19th, 1990 to May 19th, 1991. The Indian Prime Minister confirmed that President Ho Chi Minh's thought is forever a flag of encouragement to all nations fighting for peace and freedom all over the world.

Statistics from the Ho Chi Minh Museum showed that not only in India, diverse activities were held to mark President Ho Chi Minh’s 100th birthday around the world. The name Ho Chi Minh has been respectfully recorded in the encyclopedias, dictionaries of famous people in the world. Many countries in the world named squares, streets, schools and hospitals after him. Many conferences and exhibitions on President Ho Chi Minh were held in the world, while memorials have been built around the world, including in France, China, Russia, Thailand, Laos, the Republic of Korea, India, Cuba and Madagascar./.

Compiled by BTA