A programme entitled “Hồ Chí Minh’s diplomatic thought and its values,” marking the 136th birth anniversary of President Hồ Chí Minh was held in Hiroshima prefecture of Japan on May 17. — VNA/VNS Photo

TOKYO — A programme marking the 136th birth anniversary of President Hồ Chí Minh was held in Hiroshima prefecture of Japan on May 17, highlighting the late leader's diplomatic thought and enduring values of peace, friendship and international cooperation.

The event, themed “Hồ Chí Minh’s diplomatic thought and its values,” was jointly organised by the Vietnamese Consulate General in Fukuoka, the Association of Vietnamese in Central and Southern Japan, and the Hiroshima–Việt Nam Peace and Friendship Association.

The programme featured a photo exhibition, documentary screenings on President Hồ Chí Minh’s diplomatic career, and a seminar discussing his diplomatic thought and moral example.

The event drew around 150 delegates, including representatives from local authorities, universities, Japanese friendship organisations, overseas Vietnamese associations, students and young Vietnamese living, studying and working in central and southern Japan and the Kyushu region.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Consul General Trịnh Thị Mai Phương said the celebration was an occasion for Vietnamese people at home and abroad to express profound gratitude and respect for President Hồ Chí Minh – the great leader of the Vietnamese nation, a national liberation hero and a great man of culture.

She stressed that the leader's life and career symbolised the aspiration for national independence, peace, humanity, international solidarity and lifelong dedication to the people’s happiness.

Holding the commemorative programme in Hiroshima – widely recognised as a symbol of peace – carried profound significance, she said, helping to highlight the enduring values of Hồ Chí Minh’s thought on peace, dialogue, tolerance, friendship and cooperation among nations.

In a world still facing many uncertainties and challenges, these values remain highly relevant and serve as an important foundation for enhancing mutual understanding, strengthening people-to-people exchanges and promoting cooperation for peace and sustainable development, she noted.

Phương also praised the increasingly important role of the Vietnamese community in Japan in preserving Vietnamese cultural identity, promoting the image of Việt Nam and contributing to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Việt Nam and Japan.

In his letter sent to the event, Chairman of the Hiroshima–Việt Nam Peace and Friendship Association Akagi Tatsuo expressing his profound respect for President Hồ Chí Minh.

He described President Hồ Chí Minh not only as the leader who guided Việt Nam to national independence and liberation, but also as a symbol of peace, friendship and resilience in the cause of national construction.

Tatsuo stressed that the spirit of peace and friendship championed by President Hồ Chí Minh is also a core value cherished and promoted by the Hiroshima–Việt Nam Peace and Friendship Association through its exchanges and cooperation activities with Việt Nam and its people.

At the seminar titled “Hồ Chí Minh – Diplomatic thought and contemporary values,” Vietnamese and Japanese speakers shared insights into his diplomatic style and discussed opportunities for stronger bilateral cooperation in science and technology, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, space technology, digital transformation, clean energy, high-quality human resources training and people-to-people exchanges. — VNA/VNS