The Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Association and the Cuban Embassy on July 24 held an exchange in the central province of Nghe An to celebrate the 59th anniversary of the military attack on Moncada barracks, the start of the Cuban people’s revolution for national independence and socialism.

Speaking at the function, Nghe An leaders and representatives from the Cuban Embassy affirmed the traditional friendship and close ties between the two countries during the cause of national construction and defence.

The relations have been expanded in various areas such as construction, trade, investment, culture, education, science and technology.

Vietnam has assisted Cuba in rice cultivation and aquaculture while receiving support in sugar production and construction from the Latin American country, they said.

At the exchange, Vietnamese and Cuban friends reviewed the great event on July 26, 1953, when a group of patriotic young Cuban people, led by lawyer Fidel Castro, embarked on an attack on the Moncada barracks.

The armed uprising was considered an important turning-point that marked the development of the Cuban revolution and encouraged the Cuban people to rise up in arms and came to victory in January 1, 1959, ushering in a new era of independence, freedom and socialism for the island country.

On this occasion, the participants paid floral tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at the square named after the Vietnamese leader and visited Kim Lien relic site in the President’s homeland.-VNA