Party General Secretary Tô Lâm and his delegation offer flowers and incense at Chung Sơn Temple dedicated to President Hồ Chí Minh's ancestors. VNA/VNS Photo

NGHỆ AN — Party General Secretary Tô Lâm and a working delegation on Thursday offered flowers and incense at Chung Sơn Temple dedicated to President Hồ Chí Minh's ancestors, and at Kim Liên Special National Relic Site in Nam Đàn district of central Nghệ An province in commemoration of the 135th birth anniversary of the late leader (May 19, 1890 – 2025).

General Secretary Lâm expressed his gratitude and respect to President Hồ Chí Minh – a revered national hero and the founder of the Communist Party of Việt Nam, who devoted his whole life to the cause of national liberation and the struggle for peace, and happiness of the people of Vietnam and the world.

Fulfilling the late leader's sacred teachings, General Secretary Lâm and the delegation pledged to promote solidarity and fulfill their responsibilities, contributing to the construction and protection of the Fatherland, making the nation more prosperous.

On this occasion, the Party General Secretary also planted a commemorative tree within the Kim Liên Special National Relic Site.

The Party chief presented the Party Organisation, administration, and people of Nghe An with a light sculpture titled “Việt Nam - Những Trang sử Vàng” (Việt Nam – Golden Pages of History), honouring President Hồ Chí Minh as the one who penned the nation’s most glorious chapters.

The artwork is monumental in size - standing 1,945mm high and 2,025mm wide, weighing around 3 tonnes. Cast from a solid block of bronze, it is shaped like an open history book, reflecting the notion that Việt Nam’s past is a golden chronicle, and President Hồ Chí Minh is the one who illuminated it.

The dimensions themselves are symbolic - the height, 1,945mm, recalls the year 1945 when President Hồ Chí Minh read the Declaration of Independence at the Ba Đình Square, marking the birth of the Democratic Republic of Việt Nam. The width, 2,025mm, points to the present moment - 2025 - marking 50 years of national reunification and 135 years since the birth of President Hồ Chí Minh. The sculpture contains 79 pages, representing the 79 springs of his life devoted to the nation and its people.

Artistically, the sculpture blends tlight with bronze relief to depict Việt Nam’s historical journey through cultural icons such as bronze drums, Lac birds, lotus flowers, and the rich imagery of the Vietnamese homeland. It interacts with sunlight throughout the day, projecting shifting visual motifs - from the image of President Hồ Chí Minh to symbols like the lotus and flocks of Lac birds, depending on the time of day.

The artwork is both a monument and an interactive experience, inviting reflection on the late President’s journey - from his childhood lullabies to his quest for national salvation and wartime leadership. Every beam of light and sculptural detail conveys a story, a message from the past to future generations.

The same day, General Secretary Lâm and the delegation paid respects at the memorial house of Nguyễn Sinh Nhậm, President Hồ Chí Minh’s grandfather, in Sen village, and visited the Sen Village Library (also known as the Nguyễn Sinh Diện Library), located within the Kim Liên Special National Relic Site. The library houses over 10,000 books, newspapers, and magazines, serving more than 12,000 readers annually, including students, local residents, and visitors.

They also presented gifts to 25 families of national contributors and policy beneficiaries in Nam Đàn district, as well as to staff and workers at the relic site. General Secretary Lâm expressed his delight at visiting President Hồ Chí Minh’s homeland on the occasion of the later leader's 135th birth anniversary, offering a moment to reflect on the nation’s proud history and the great contributions of Uncle Hồ to the country and to Nghệ An province.

Commending the province’s social and economic progress and the improved living standards of local residents and staff at the relic site, the General Secretary reaffirmed that the Party and State will continue to care for policy beneficiary families, the underprivileged, and those who had rendered service to the country, ensuring that no one is left behind.

Also on Thursday, General Secretary Lâm also visited Kim Liên High School in Nam Đàn district, where he gifted a STEM classroom and 100 scholarships to outstanding students. He described the gifts as a meaningful encouragement for both teachers and pupils, aiming to spark a passion for science and innovation.

The initiative, he noted, seeks to inspire students in the area to pursue their studies, apply scientific knowledge in daily life, and contribute more to their homeland and the nation in the future. — VNS