(VOVworld) – May 19 saw many activities underway nationwide to mark President Ho Chi Minh’s 124th birthday.

Major newspapers in Vietnam gave wide coverage to the life and revolutionary career of President Ho Chi Minh. The People’s Newspaper ran an editorial entitled “Ho Chi Minh’s thought illuminates national construction and defense”, highlighting the importance of the movement to follow President Ho Chi Minh’s moral example, and the determination to continue developing Vietnam while resolutely protecting national territorial integrity.

The People’s Army newspaper stressed the importance of Ho Chi Minh’s last recommendation, which retains its value today in its Monday editorial “Cultivating revolutionary ethics in accordance with President Ho Chi Minh’s last recommendation”. The article said every government cadre and Party member is obligated to lead and set a good example in following President Ho Chi Minh’s moral example in serving the nation and people of Vietnam.

The Party Central Committee’s Commission for Communications and Education held a video-conference to review 3 years of implementing the Party politburo’s directive on accelerating the movement to follow President Ho Chi Minh’s moral example. 63 provinces and cities joined the conference. Delegates discussed shortcomings and limitations and reported on outstanding individuals and models in the movement.


The conference in Hanoi. Photo: VGP/Le Son

The Ho Chi Minh Museum collaborated with the Vietnam Culture House in France to organize a photo exhibit in Paris featuring President Ho Chi Minh and Vietnam’s cultural heritage. The 100-plus photos on display illustrate Ho Chi Minh’s respect for cultural heritages and the beauty of Vietnam and its people.

The Vietnamese community in South Africa assembled in Pretoria to commemorate the occasion and show support for Vietnam’s Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagoes. Vietnamese ambassador Le Huy Hoang praised Ho Chi Minh’s contributions to Vietnam’s independence and freedom and to international solidarity. He asked Vietnamese people in South Africa to continue to foster friendship and cooperation between the two countries and Vietnam’s construction and defense. He briefed them on the situation in Vietnam and tension in the East Sea caused by China’s illegal placement of oil rig Haiyang 981 in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone. The ambassador explained Vietnam’s policy and the peaceful measures it is pursuing to defend its sovereignty.