Present at the ceremony were former Party General Secretaries Do Muoi and Le Kha Phieu, former State President Tran Duc Luong, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong, former National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Van An, Vice State President Nguyen Thi Doan, President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Huynh Dam, revolutionary war veterans, heroic mothers and UNESCO Chief Representative in Vietnam Katherine Muller Marin.

Ho Chi Minh’s lifetime for the country

Imbued with Vietnamese patriotism and humanism and an earnest desire for national independence and liberation, and practical experiences in revolutionary studies in different countries, Ho Chi Minh realised that national liberation was an urgent need for Vietnam and all colonial peoples around the world.

Ho Chi Minh had mapped out the path to national salvation and dealt with revolutionary matters of prime importance in a positive and creative manner.

The revolutionary line of national independence combined with socialism had created an integrated strength that brought the Vietnamese revolution to a glorious victory.

The 1945 revolutionary victory and the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam - the first state in Vietnamese history - changed Vietnam’s destiny, from being an oppressed country into an independent and free nation.

The victory of the wars of resistance against the French and US invaders enabled Vietnam to enter an era of national independence and socialism.

Ho Chi Minh’s thoughts will forever enlighten the Vietnamese revolutionary and lead the nation to a brighter future.

In his speech, Party leader Nong Duc Manh said that under Ho Chi Minh’s clear-sighted leadership, the Party and people fulfilled the tasks of national democratic revolution which enabled Vietnam to enter a new period of transition to socialism.

During the 25-year Doi Moi (Renewal) process, our people have recorded historic significant achievements, lifting the country out of its under-developed nation status.

Ho Chi Minh’s thoughts are an invaluable asset for our Party and people. The value of his thought are closely related to life, as he said “Words should be matched by deeds”. Our Party and people are determined to successfully implement his teachings in our lives, Mr Manh said.

The Party leader also underlined the need to reach targets and fulfill tasks adopted by the resolution at the 10^th National Party Congress, study Ho Chi Minh’s thoughts and the 1991 Party platform, review the implementation of tasks set for 2005-2010 and contribute opinions to draft documents for submission to the forthcoming 11^th National Party Congress.

In her speech, UNESCO Chief Representative in Vietnam Katherine Muller Marin said that Ho Chi Minh was a great far-sighted man who had predicted the development of Vietnamese nation and contributed to creating a new diplomatic style which helped Vietnam to improve its status in the world, in line with the concepts of peaceful cooperation and mutual understanding promoted by UNESCO.