New Delhi (VNA) - The Vietnamese Embassy in Sri Lanka, in collaboration with the Sri Lanka–Vietnam Solidarity Association (SVSA) and the Colombo Public Library, held a ceremony to celebrate President Ho Chi Minh’s 135th bnirthday (May 19, 1890 – 2025), drawing crowds of attendees, including many senior Sri Lankan officials.
The celebration began with a flower offering at the statue of President Ho Chi Minh, one of the few monuments dedicated to a foreign leader in central Colombo. Participants paid tribute and expressed deep respect for the great Vietnamese leader.
In her opening remarks, Vietnamese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Trinh Thi Tam reaffirmed the greatness of President Ho Chi Minh, an extraordinary revolutionary who dedicated his life to Vietnam’s national liberation and struggles for peace, justice, independence, and social progress around the world.
She recalled that in 1987, UNESCO honoured President Ho Chi Minh as a Vietnamese hero of national liberation and a great man of culture.
The diplomat expressed deep appreciation for the sincere and enduring affection that the people of Sri Lanka have shown toward President Ho Chi Minh and Vietnam over the decades, notably through the erection of his statue in 2013, the issuance of a commemorative stamp collection in 2014, and the translation and multiple reprints of the poetry collection “Nhat Ky Trong Tu” (Prison Diary) in the Sri Lankan language.
She noted that President Ho Chi Minh visited Sri Lanka three times — in 1911, 1928, and 1946 — during his journey to seek a way to save the country, with the final visit made in his position as President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.
Addressing the event, both Sri Lankan Minister of Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Hiniduma Sunil Senevi and SVSA Secretary General Sudasinghe Sugathapala affirmed that President Ho Chi Minh is a symbol of independence, freedom, and humanity.
They described him as a source of inspiration for Sri Lanka’s past revolutionary movements and a role model of revolutionary ethics, simplicity, and selflessness for the younger generation of Sri Lanka today. The Sri Lankan leaders expressed their hope that the two countries will continue to strengthen their traditional friendship and expand cooperation across a variety of fields.
On this occasion, delegates visited a photo exhibition featuring President Ho Chi Minh’s life and career, the land and people of Vietnam, as well as drawings of Uncle Ho by Sri Lankan children. A short documentary prepared by the embassy, with English narration, was also screened, offering attendees a touching and comprehensive overview of his revolutionary journey.
As part of the event, the embassy presented awards to students who won essay and drawing competitions on President Ho Chi Minh and a quiz contest on the 55th founding anniversary of Vietnam–Sri Lanka relations, which aimed to spark interest in Vietnam, particularly among Sri Lankan youth.
Ambassador Tam also presented books and cultural publications from Vice Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Nguyen Duc Hai to the Colombo Public Library, to support the development of a “Vietnam–Ho Chi Minh space” in the library, contributing to increasing Sri Lankan people’s better understanding of Vietnam’s land, people, and culture.
The celebration was not only an occasion to honour and remember a great figure of the Vietnamese nation, but also a vivid testament to the longstanding tradition of friendship between Vietnam and Sri Lanka./.
