Model of the square and Ho Chi Minh monument in Ulianovsk (Photo: vov.vn)

For many years, in Lenin's hometown of Ulianovsk, Russia, there was a statue of President Ho Chi Minh at a small square named Ho Chi Minh.

On the occasion of the 127th birthday of Uncle Ho, a bronze statue four meters high has been completed and prepared to be placed in a solemn position on the square, which has been expanded and built beautifully. This is the enthusiasm and sentiment of overseas Vietnamese in general, and of Nghe An province in particular, for President Ho Chi Minh and Ulyanovsk province on the friendship land.

The project on building the new monument of President Ho Chi Minh is the proposal of the Vietnamese Association "Solidarity" in Ulyanovsk and the leaders of Nghe An province. The proposal was supported by the Secretariat of the Communist Party of Vietnam, and was kicked off on June 12th, 2015. After two years, the entire work has been basically completed.

According to famous Russian sculptor Oleg Klyuev, who has a lot of sculpture works of Lenin and many well-known people of Russia, the Ho Chi Minh statue includes a bronze statue four meters high, placed on a marble pedestal with a height of five meters.

When the last stages were almost complete, Mr. Oleg Klyuev feels glad, but he was still worried.

"I was very anxious to wait for the audience’s response when President Ho Chi Minh’s monument was inaugurated, because this is a responsible project. With this project, I have had a new experience because of contact with Vietnam, with Vietnamese people, better understood about their feelings for model Ho Chi Minh. It is very important for broadening my knowledge," he said.

It is possible that with deep affection for the country and people of Vietnam, with President Ho Chi Minh, who he hasn’t met, along with the touching stories in the process of casting Uncle Ho statue, gave him such feelings.

The Vietnamese community in Ulianovsk, led by the Vietnamese Association "Solidarity" has been very active to this meaningful work.

The value of the Ho Chi Minh monument in Ulianovsk will be enormous as it contributes to promote the friendship and cooperative relations between the two countries in general and between Ulyanovsk city and Nghe An province in particular. More importantly, it has great educational significance for later generations, both Vietnamese and Russian people, about the close relations between the two nations.

Phung Van Binh, the second Vietnamese generation in Russia, is also very happy to see the statue of President Ho Chi Minh, which is about to be inaugurated in the city of Ulianovsk.

“I feel very honoured because I study in the city of Ulianovsk, where Vladimir Lenin was born. And I am even more honoured because the city has a street named Ho Chi Minh and Ho Chi Minh statue. I am very honoured to be Vietnamese,” he said.

Along with the Ho Chi Minh statuary, on this occasion in the city of Ulianovsk, School No. 76, located not far from Ho Chi Minh Square, will also be named Ho Chi Minh and the school has also just built a "Ho Chi Minh Museum", which has great material and spiritual contribution of the Vietnamese Association "Solidarity" in Ulianovsk and staff of the school.

Ms. Liutmila Grechko, Rector of the school, said that the school would organize to visit and learn about for new students and then they would learn more about the culture, country and people of Vietnam and beyond. 

With the works and sentiment for the people of Vietnam, for President Ho Chi Minh from the local people and overseas Vietnamese, the project will make Vietnam-Russia relations more beautiful./.

BTA