President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Associations Nguyen Phuong Nga shows her impression on the book. (Photo: TDO)

The event aimed to mark the 130^th birthday of President Ho Chi Minh (May 19) and the 20th Italian language week in the world.

Addressing the book presenting ceremony, Dang Khanh Thoai, former Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy and Deputy President of the Vietnam – Italy Friendship Association, said that the presenting of the two publications would contribute to further increasing the cooperative and friendly relations and the partnership between the two countries.

According to Italian Ambassador to Vietnam Antonio Alessandro, the publishing magazine of the cartoon book “Ho Chi Minh, a human and a nation”, Vie Nuove, belonged to the Italian Communist Party at that time. “The magazine put aside an exclusive publication for describing Vietnam’s revolution and President Ho Chi Minh, showing its huge admiration for the Vietnamese revolution,” he said.

“The small book represents the links between Vietnam and Italy and brings with it the solidarity between the two countries, which has been fostered from the past up to present,” he went on to say.

Noting that only 5 years after the publication of the book, in 1973, the Australe friendship vessel carrying medicine and essential goods landed in Hai Phong port to support the Vietnamese people in the war against American imperialists. “Forty-seven years later, from Hai Phong port, a vessel carries out face-masks and medical equipment to Italy as Vietnam's assistance to this country’s fight against COVID-19,” he said, adding that he appreciated Vietnamese people’s support.

To widely disseminate the book in Vietnam, the Vietnam – Italy Friendship Association will work with the Kim Dong Publishing House to translate and publish the book in the Vietnamese language, for release in 2021, to mark the 100^th year since Uncle Ho left the country to find a way to save the nation./.

Compiled by BTA