Delegates at the ceremony marking the 100th birth anniversary of Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro (August 13, 1926–2026) on Thursday in Quảng Trị Province. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Quảng Trị Province on Thursday held a ceremony marking the 100th birth anniversary of Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro (August 13, 1926–2026), honouring his enduring legacy and his special contribution to the friendship between Việt Nam and Cuba.

The ceremony was jointly organised by the Provincial People’s Committee, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of the Republic of Cuba at Fidel Castro Park in Đông Hà Ward.

Vice Chairman of the Quảng Trị Provincial People’s Committee Lê Đức Tiến speaks at the event. VNA/VNS Photo

Addressing the event, Vice Chairman of the Quảng Trị Provincial People’s Committee Lê Đức Tiến described Fidel Castro as a leader of exceptional stature whose life and revolutionary career were closely intertwined with the victory of the Cuban Revolution, Cuba’s struggle for independence and sovereignty, and the global pursuit of independence, freedom, peace and justice.

For Quảng Trị, Fidel Castro’s legacy is inseparable from one of the most memorable chapters in Việt Nam-Cuba relations.

On September 15, 1973, just months after the signing of the Paris Peace Accords and while the war in Việt Nam was still raging, Fidel Castro became the first and only foreign head of state to visit the liberated areas of southern Việt Nam in Quảng Trị.

The visit was far more than a diplomatic gesture. It was a historic political statement and a powerful demonstration of solidarity with Việt Nam at a critical moment. Fidel Castro’s presence in the war-torn land became an enduring symbol of Cuba’s unwavering support for the Vietnamese people.

More than half a century later, the image of Fidel Castro in Quảng Trị remains deeply engraved in the memories of the Vietnamese people.

Cuban Ambassador to Việt Nam Rogelio Polanco Fuentes speaks at the event. VNA/VNS Photo

Speaking at the ceremony, Cuban Ambassador to Việt Nam Rogelio Polanco Fuentes said Fidel Castro Park was a particularly meaningful place to commemorate the revolutionary leader and reflect on his outstanding contribution to the Cuban Revolution.

A century after Fidel Castro’s birth, he said, Cuba and Việt Nam pay tribute to one of the most distinguished sons of Cuba and a steadfast leader in the struggle for national liberation, reunification and national development.

The ambassador also expressed profound gratitude for the Vietnamese people’s enduring respect and affection for Fidel Castro, saying that generations of Vietnamese people have preserved and cherished his legacy and the special bond between the two nations.

Delegates laid wreaths and observed a minute of silence in memory of Fidel Castro, honouring him as an outstanding Cuban revolutionary, a great friend and steadfast comrade of Việt Nam. The ceremony also recalled the special, exemplary and deeply affectionate friendship between the two countries.

The Việt Nam-Cuba Friendship Hospital in Đồng Hới stands as a lasting testament to the Cuban people’s solidarity with Việt Nam. Beyond its medical significance, the hospital embodies the friendship, sharing and mutual support that have characterised bilateral ties.

As a tribute to Fidel Castro, Quảng Trị Province built Fidel Castro Park in central Đông Hà and put it into operation in 2018. It was the first park in Việt Nam to bear the name of the Cuban revolutionary leader.

Fidel Castro’s legacy has also been commemorated through a series of international activities in Cuba.

From August 7-12, a delegation of the Communist Party of Việt Nam, led by Vũ Hải Hà, Party Central Committee member and Permanent Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Committee on National Defence, Security and External Relations, attended the 24th International Meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties (IMCWP) and the first international conference on Fidel: Legacy and Future in Havana.

The 24th IMCWP, hosted by the Communist Party of Cuba from August 7-9, brought together nearly 200 delegates from 48 Communist and workers’ parties worldwide.

Under the theme ‘Defending and honouring the legacy of the Cuban Revolution on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Fidel’s birth; further deepening solidarity with socialist Cuba; strengthening joint actions; and uniting forces for peace and against imperialist aggression’, the meeting focused on strengthening solidarity and coordinated action among participating parties.

Speaking at the meeting, Hà highlighted the Cuban Revolution as an important symbol of the global struggle for national independence, sovereignty and social justice. He said the thought and example of Fidel Castro, together with late President Hồ Chí Minh’s thought and example, constitute major symbols of the international communist and workers’ movement.

Hà reaffirmed Việt Nam’s solidarity with Cuba amid the country’s current difficulties and called for stronger international efforts to safeguard peace and end the blockade, embargo and unilateral coercive economic measures against Cuba, which he said run counter to international law and the UN Charter.

The Vietnamese delegation also briefed international participants on the outcomes of the 14th National Party Congress and Việt Nam’s development orientations for the new period. It reaffirmed Việt Nam’s commitment to national independence associated with socialism, as well as Marxism-Leninism and Hồ Chí Minh Thought.

The first international conference on Fidel: Legacy and Future, held in Havana as part of activities marking Fidel Castro’s centenary, attracted more than 1,000 delegates from 63 countries.

One highlight of the conference was the launch of the 15,000-page collection Selected Works of Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz, which was printed and presented to Cuba by Việt Nam.

Addressing the opening session, Hà reaffirmed Việt Nam’s independent and self-reliant foreign policy and its commitment to ‘standing together, cooperating together and developing together’ with Cuba.

He also expressed profound gratitude on the 60th anniversary of Fidel Castro’s historic declaration that ‘For Việt Nam, Cuba is willing to give even its own blood’, made on January 2, 1966.

At the forum ‘Fidel and Parliamentary Diplomacy’, held within the framework of the conference, Hà called for more practical cooperation between Việt Nam and Cuba in healthcare, education, agriculture, digital transformation and sustainable development.

During the visit, the Vietnamese delegation held meetings with President of the National Assembly of People’s Power of Cuba Esteban Lazo Hernández and Permanent member of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) Central Committee Roberto Morales Ojeda. The two sides reaffirmed their fraternal bonds, special friendship and comprehensive cooperation, built and nurtured by generations of leaders and peoples of the two countries.

The delegation also met with First Vice President of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP) Noemi Rabaza Fernandez and heads of delegations from IMCWP member parties, including those from Laos, Japan, the UK, Portugal, Mexico, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela.

The meetings focused on ways to strengthen contacts and cooperation among political parties, contributing to closer relations between the two states, legislatures and peoples. — VNS