Hanoi (VNA) – Various activities have been held in India and Russia on the occasion of the 135th birth anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh (May 19, 1890 – 2025).
On May 19, the Indo-Vietnam Solidarity Committee (IVSC) held a flower-offering ceremony at the Ho Chi Minh Monument in Kolkata city, the capital of West Bengal state, Northeast India.
The same day, the IVSC organised a workshop marking the 135th birthday of President Ho Chi Minh and the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South and national reunification of Vietnam (April 30, 1975 - 2025).
Speaking at the event, IVSC Vice President Prem Kapoor said under the inspiring and charismatic leadership of President Ho Chi Minh, the Vietnamese people fought against and defeated the French colonialists and American imperialists.
Md. Salim, West Bengal State Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPI (M), said that President Ho Chi Minh was a pioneer in the field of people’s diplomacy. India can learn from the Vietnamese leader’s lesson that war, dialogue and diplomacy must be carried out concurrently.
According to Md. Salim, Vietnam fought bravely against the French colonialists and American imperialists. Peace lovers in the US and many other countries in the world stood up to show their support for the Vietnamese people in their struggle for national independence and liberation.
IVSC Chairwoman Kusum Jain highlighted President Ho Chi Minh's love for India in general and Kolkata in particular. He visited Kolkata three times, in 1911, 1946 and 1958, Jain noted.
Meanwhile, within the framework of Vietnam Week in St. Petersburg, Russia, from May 19-23, the St. Petersburg city government on May 19 held a workshop to celebrate the 135th birth anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh.
The workshop was attended by representatives from St. Petersburg, Dien Bien province, the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia, other Vietnamese organisations and agencies, overseas Vietnamese, and Russian friends.
Governor of St. Petersburg Alexander Beglov and Vietnamese Minister of Public Security Luong Tam Quang sent video messages to the event.
In his message, Beglov welcomed delegates to the annual Vietnam Week in St. Petersburg. He emphasised that over the time, Vietnam and Russia have showed the world their loyalty and the ideals of truth and justice. He expected a tightened friendship and a closer cooperation between the two countries.
For his part, Quang hailed St. Petersburg - the heroic city of Russia, the first place in Russia that President Ho Chi Minh set foot, for annually organising the Vietnam Week for years.
The minister emphasised that the Party, State and people of Vietnam always remember the valuable support and assistance of the Soviet Union and Russia, including the city of St. Petersburg, for Vietnam in the cause of national liberation and reunification in the past, and the current process of national construction and protection.
Vietnam always considers Russia as one of the leading important partners, wishing to strongly promote the cooperative ties and the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and Russia.
Earlier the same day, representatives of the St. Petersburg city government, Vietnamese delegations, overseas Vietnamese in Russia and Russian friends laid flowers at the Ho Chi Minh Monument in the square named after him in St. Petersburg./.
