A calligraphy exhibition featuring excerpts from late President Ho Chi Minh’s Prison Diary, opened on April 9 at the Suncheon National University’s museum, in the south Jeolla province in the Republic of Korea.

On display at the event, which marks the anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh’s 122 nd birthday, were 45 calligraphic works by 23 calligraphers from Gwangju and south Jeolla provinces.

Addressing the event, the Rector of the University, Song Yeong-moo, said the exhibition is taking place at the same time as the two countries are celebrating the 20 th anniversary of their diplomatic ties and preparing for the 2012 Vietnam-RoK Friendship Year.

He expressed his hopes that the exhibition will help the students and local people understand more about President Ho Chi Minh’s life and Vietnam ’s revolutionary cause.

According to Vietnam ’s Ambassador Tran Trong Toan, the Prison Diary was first translated from Vietnamese to Korean for the first time in 2003 and made a huge contribution to helping Korean people understand more about Vietnam and President Ho Chi Minh.

The exhibition, which will run until April 25, once again expressed Korean people’s interest in and respect for President Ho Chi Minh, he said.

He also expressed his hope that the event will help consolidate Vietnam-RoK friendship and strategic cooperation.

According to the organising board, all the works of art will be transferred to two RoK cultural centres in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City and put on display to mark Uncle Ho’s birthday on May 19.-VNA