Artists perform at a national ceremony held in Hà Nội on Friday to mark 50 years implementing President Hồ Chí Minh’s testament (1969-2019) and the 50th death anniversary of the President. — VNA/VNS Photo Phương Hoa

HÀ NỘI — A national ceremony was held in Hà Nội on Friday to mark 50 years implementing President Hồ Chí Minh’s testament (1969-2019) and the 50th death anniversary of the President.

The ceremony was jointly organised by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Việt Nam, the National Assembly (NA), the President, the Government, the Central Committee of the Việt Nam Fatherland Front (VFF) and the administration of Hà Nội. 

Delegates to the event, including Party General Secretary, President Nguyễn Phú Trọng, Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, NA Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân, President of the VFF Central Committee Trần Thanh Mẫn, and Secretary of Hà Nội Party Committee Hoàng Trung Hải, paid tribute to the great service of President Hồ Chí Minh, who is a great leader and teacher of Việt Nam’s revolution, a national hero and a global cultural icon. 

The President’s testament, which he began to write in May 1965 and last amended in May 1969 – four months before he passed away, is a special historic document. It has become a guideline for Việt Nam’s revolution and development over the past half century.

Addressing the ceremony, Party General Secretary, President Nguyễn Phú Trọng stressed that President Hồ Chí Minh is an outstanding thinker and a genius organiser, who founded, led and trained the Communist Party of Việt Nam. He dedicated his entire life to the country and the people, setting a bright example of revolutionary ethics. 

“The Hồ Chí Minh Thought and the President’s testament have always gone along with the nation, lighting the way for the Party, the people and army of Việt Nam in following the revolutionary cause and ideal,” the Party leader said. 

He highlighted the tremendous values and historical significance of the testament, and urged the Party to thoroughly master the teachings of the President, build on the Party’s fine traditions and nature, and resolutely fight all manifestations of degradation of political ideology, morality and lifestyle, as well as any signs of “self-evolution” and “self-transformation,” thus building a pure and strong party, enhancing the leadership and combat capacity of party organisations and party members.

“The entire Party, army and people are committed to loyally and excellently inheriting the revolutionary cause of President Hồ Chí Minh, continuing to realising his noble ideal, resolutely and consistently fighting to firmly defend the motherland’s independence, sovereignty, unification and territorial integrity, and building a strong, democratic, just and civilised country with prosperous people,” the Party leader said.

Tribute to President Hồ Chí Minh

On the same day, a delegation of the Party Central Committee, National Assembly, State, Government and Việt Nam Fatherland Front Central Committee paid tribute to late President Hồ Chí Minh at his mausoleum on the occasion of the 74th National Day (September 2).

The delegation included Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân, and President of the Việt Nam Fatherland Front Central Committee Trần Thanh Mẫn, along with a number of former Party, State and Government leaders.

The delegation also laid flowers at the Monument for Heroic Martyrs at Bắc Sơn Street.

The same day, a number of delegations, including those from the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Public Security and Hà Nội also paid homage to late President Hồ Chí Minh and the heroic martyrs.

President Hồ Chí Minh led the Vietnamese nation to success in the struggle for national independence. 

On September 2, 1945, he read the Declaration of Independence, declaring to the world the foundation of the Democratic Republic of Việt Nam, now the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam.

Over the past 50 years, the President’s testament has been the torchlight for Việt Nam’s revolution. 

President Hồ Chí Minh was a talented leader, a national hero who devoted all his life to national independence and freedom and happiness of the people while tirelessly striving for peace and progress in the world.

The same day, a delegation of the Party Committee, People’s Council, People’s Committee and Việt Nam Fatherland Front Committee of HCM City paid tribute to the late President at the Hồ Chí Minh Museum’s branch in the city. — VNS