Students of Ngô Sỹ Liên Secondary School are introduced to the history of Việt Nam's 25 female political prisoners at the exhibition. Photos courtesy of Vietnamese Women's Museum

HÀ NỘI — Stories of Vietnamese heroines have been told to students from the Ngô Sỹ Liên Secondary School in Hà Nội through an exhibition, marking a different way to popularise national history and celebrate the city's 72nd anniversary of liberation.

The photo exhibition was organised by the Vietnamese Women's Museum, the Cửa Nam Ward People's Committee and the Việt Nam Cultural Heritage Association. It aims to instil historical knowledge in youth, inspiring gratitude, pride and a duty to preserve national heritage.

Entitled Lotus in Stone: True Heart, Pure Soul and opened on October 6, the exhibition showcased portraits and stories of 25 female political prisoners from the resistance wars against the French and Americans. Among them are prominent figures such as Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai, Nguyễn Thị Định, Hoàng Ngân, Nguyễn Thị Bình, Võ Thị Sáu and Trương Mỹ Hoa.

While each woman walked a unique path to join the revolution and defend the Fatherland, all were bound by a single truth: they placed their lives within the great current of the nation, living and sacrificing for a purpose far greater than themselves.

The exhibition was a follow-up to the Lotus in Stone exhibition held at the Côn Đảo Museum in Bà Rịa Vũng Tàu Province in May.

Students are expected to learn more about Vietnamese history through photos and stories at the Lotus in Stone exhibition.

The lotus flower is a universal symbol of purity, resilience and spiritual awakening. Rising from the dark, murky waters of ponds and marshes to bloom untainted and beautiful, it serves as a powerful metaphor for human consciousness overcoming the struggles and impurities of the world.

Vietnamese heroines introduced in the exhibition are likened to lotus flowers. Living and fighting in the harshest conditions, they showed their bravery and stood ready to sacrifice everything for national independence and the peace and freedom of their homeland.

At the event, one of the heroines featured in the exhibit, former vice president of Việt Nam Trương Mỹ Hoa, said Vietnamese women are "lotus flowers blooming in stone", forever shining with courage, self-sacrifice and an indomitable spirit.

"Today, the 'stone' is no longer a shackle, a prison, oppressive power or violence. Rather, it represents the difficulties and challenges encountered in life – in work, study, research, creativity and the task of nation-building. I believe that through fortitude, ideals and a spirit of dedication, each person can become a lotus of the new era," she said.

Students recreate national stories through plays to help them learn history by heart.

In addition to the photo display, students took part in music and dance performances and plays that recreated historic stories on the stage. 

According to the organisers, stories of patriotism, sacrifice and the resilient spirit of generations of Vietnamese women were brought to life in an intimate and vivid manner, helping students gain a deeper appreciation of history.

Phạm Thu Hà, principal of Ngô Sỹ Liên Secondary School, said: "Lotus in Stone is more than just an exhibition. It is a meeting between the younger generation and women who endured war, imprisonment, loss and sacrifice.

"These women once harbored simple, peaceful dreams and cherished their families and loved ones. Yet, when the country called, they chose to set aside their personal aspirations to dedicate themselves to the country."

The exhibition will be open until October 8 at 27 Hàm Long Street. — VNS