Documents about President Hồ Chí Minh are on display at the thematic exhibition "President Hồ Chí Minh: The Founder of Friendship between Vietnam and the Russian Federation," held on September 10, 2025, at the Hồ Chí Minh Institute in Saint Petersburg, Russia. — VNA/VNS File Photo

MOSCOW — The Archival Committee of Saint Petersburg, Russia, and the Archives Department of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee (CPVCC) Office held an online mid-term review on April 22 to assess cooperation results since the signing of their partnership agreement in 2021.

In his opening remarks, Petr Tishchenko, Chairman of the Archival Committee of Saint Petersburg, noted that over the past five years, the two sides have implemented a number of important projects, including conferences and discussions on documentary heritage preservation, preparations for exhibitions, and exchanges of professional experience through mutual visits.

Among the most notable cooperative initiatives were historical and documentary exhibitions, including one on the siege of Leningrad held in Hà Nội, and “Điện Biên Phủ Victory” and “General Secretary Nguyễn Văn Linh – Life and Career” staged in Saint Petersburg. Other highlights included the exhibition “Saint Petersburg and Việt Nam: A Lasting Friendship,” marking the 100th anniversary of President Hồ Chí Minh’s first visit to Saint Petersburg, as well as the 320th founding anniversary of the Russian city, celebrated in both Saint Petersburg and Moscow.

Tishchenko stressed that the preservation and study of historical heritage form an important foundation for Russia–Việt Nam relations. Archival collections, he said, contain valuable documents that testify to the longstanding friendship and cooperation between the two countries. Continuing joint efforts would not only help preserve shared memory but also open new chapters in bilateral ties and deepen mutual understanding between the two peoples.

For his part, Director of the Archives Department of the CPVCC Office Hoàng Anh Tuấn congratulated Russian colleagues on the 156th birth anniversary of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin and the upcoming May holidays, especially Victory Day (May 9). He also expressed thanks to the Saint Petersburg Committee for External Relations for its attention, coordination, and support in implementing the cooperation agreement with the Archival Committee.

Participants at the meeting agreed that the recent period has been among the most effective phases in the history of cooperation between Russian and Vietnamese archival agencies. The Vietnamese side noted that with support from the Saint Petersburg Committee for External Relations, an effective mechanism has been established for exchanging professional experience and important documents. Both sides also discussed proposals for further cooperation.

Vice Chairman of the Saint Petersburg Committee for External Relations Vyacheslav Kalganov congratulated Việt Nam on the initial success of the first session of its 16th National Assembly and highlighted the significance of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Việt Nam. He underscored Russia’s and Saint Petersburg’s interest in the outcomes of the Congress and Việt Nam’s experience in state-building.

Kalganov proposed that the Archives Department of the CPVCC Office coordinate with the Hồ Chí Minh National Academy of Politics to organise an exhibition on Party history and national development tasks set by the Congress.

He also invited the Vietnamese delegation to attend the second Russia–Việt Nam People’s Diplomacy Forum, scheduled to take place in Saint Petersburg from October 14–16, 2026.

Tishchenko further suggested several initiatives to deepen cultural exchanges, including exhibitions on “Revolutionary Petrograd” and on the activities of the Leningrad Komsomol during the Great Patriotic War, as well as a joint seminar on archival preservation. — VNS