Freedom fighters: A photo shows President Hồ Chí Minh (fourth left) with delegates from the heroes of the Southern Liberation People’s Armed Forces on November 15,1965. — VNA Photo Vũ Đình Hồng

HÀ NỘI — A photo exhibition opened yesterday on Hà Nội’s Tràng Tiền Street to mark the 70th anniversary celebration of President Hồ Chí Minh’s June 11, 1948 appeal for patriotic emulation.

The event, organised by the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) in co-ordination with the Central Commission for Emulation and Reward (CCER), will run through June 3. On display are more than 100 art works including black and white photographs taken by artists from across the country, with particular emphasis on those in the past.

Vice President Đặng Thị Ngọc Thịnh attended yesterday’s opening ceremony and cut the ribbon at the launch.

VNA Director General Nguyễn Đức Lợi opened the event by saying that as an important and reliable news agency of the State and the Party, the VNA has made contributions to nation-building and protection, as well as the country’s industrialisation and modernisation.

Bigwig: Vice President Đặng Thị Ngọc Thịnh (centre) attends the launching of the exhibition yesterday.

VNA journalists have captured numerous photos showing the fervent atmosphere of patriotic emulation among Vietnamese soldiers and people during the anti-French and anti-US wars, as well as when the country began moving towards international integration and development, he said.

Many of the photographs remind people of large-scale movements during the national struggle for independence against the French and the Americans, including Hũ gạo kháng chiến (Rice jar for the Resistance), Diệt giặc đói, Diệt giặc dốt, Diệt giặc ngoại xâm (Eliminate the hunger, Eliminate illiteracy, Eliminate invaders), Thanh niên Ba sẵn sàng (The youth are ready for three tasks), and Phụ nữ Ba đảm đang” (Women with three responsibilities), among others.

The photos also tell stories about other patriotic movements during the renewal period. Some photos, for example, show people building new-style rural areas or paying tribute to those who served the nation.

Next generation: A teacher and her students from Hà Nội’s Trưng Vương Primary School admire photos at the exhibition on Monday. The event marks the 70th anniversary celebration of President Hồ Chí Minh’s June 11, 1948 appeal for patriotic emulation. — VNA/VNS Photos

Trần Thị Hà, head of the CCER, said that in the past 70 years, the movements of patriotic emulation have encouraged Vietnamese people to overcome challenges and fulfill their tasks towards socio-economic development.

Hà, who is also a member of the Party Committee and Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, stressed that emulation had helped recognise many individuals and groups of people as exemplary models in overcoming difficulties to gain outstanding achievement in their labour and study, and to contribute to the common benefit of the community as well as the peace and prosperity of the country.

Linh Đan, an 8th grade student at the Trưng Vương Primary School in Hà Nội, said she was moved when admiring the photos at the exhibition as they reflected a hard but very glorious time in the nation’s history.

"I feel proud watching the photos about different times of my country and the people who have overcome hardship in the revolution against foreign invaders," she said.

As a very young citizen of the country, Đan vowed to be more active in participating in the movements.

Nurturing the youth: President Hồ Chí Minh with outstanding students from the Trưng Vương Primary School on May 19, 1958. — VNA File Photo

In the spring of 1948, the country was struggling as it waged its resistance war against the French.

To encourage the nation to contribute to the revolution, President Hồ Chí Minh made an appeal for patriotic work emulation on June 11, 1948.

Opening the appeal, he wrote, “The purpose of patriotic work emulation is to eliminate poverty, hunger, illiteracy, and foreign aggressors. It means our entire people have enough rice to eat and clothing to wear. The entire population will know how to read and write. Soldiers will have enough food and weapons to defeat the foreign aggressors. These are aimed to unite the entire nation. Thus we will have an independent nation, free civil rights and happy welfare of the people."

The people, united: President Hồ Chí Minh speaks at the fourth meeting of the heroes during the resistance war against the United States, held in Hà Nội in December 1966. — VNA File Photo

An emulation movement was launched almost 70 years ago in response to President Hồ Chí Minh’s appeal for patriotism to spur the national revolution against foreign invaders.

Seventy years have passed, but the appeal he made in June 1948 as the country fought to defeat the French while building a stable future has remained successful in promoting patriotism in all Vietnamese people.

Today, the movement’s effectiveness has been confirmed as it has helped improve the pioneering and vital role of encouraging the youth in the country’s path towards socio-economic development. — VNS