Ho Chi Minh Cultural Spaces at Vietnamese Representative Missions: Bridging tradition and modernity, Vietnam and the world
WVR - The Ho Chi Minh Cultural Space at Vietnamese Representative Missions abroad is expected to serve as a bridge between tradition and modernity, Vietnam and the world, spreading his thoughts, ethics, and style through emotionally resonant and accessible forms.
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| Ho Chi Minh Cultural Spaces at Vietnamese Representative Missions: On June 11, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Spouse presented flowers in homage at the statue of President Ho Chi Minh and visited the Ho Chi Minh Space in Montreuil, France. (Photo: Nguyen Hong) |
The establishment of special spaces dedicated to President Ho Chi Minh at Embassies and Consulates General is a consistent and long-term direction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It contributes to implementing the Politburo’s directive on promoting and spreading Ho Chi Minh’s thoughts and legacy globally, and also effectively implements the Cultural Diplomacy Strategy to 2030.
A space in a new global landscape
In recent years, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in coordination with central and local agencies, individuals, organizations, and more than 90 Vietnamese representative missions abroad, has organized numerous activities honouring President Ho Chi Minh across continents. These initiatives—welcomed by host countries—have taken various forms, such as statues, street namings, exhibitions, documentary screenings, commemorative rooms, and cultural exchanges.
A notable highlight is the Ministry’s oversee in designing a standard model of the Ho Chi Minh Cultural Space at Vietnam’s overseas missions. This model not only holds symbolic meaning—with portraits, the national flag, photo/document displays, and multilingual bookshelves—but also harmoniously combines historical values, national cultural identity, and a modern diplomatic approach.
Recently, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs coordinated to hold the inauguration of the Ho Chi Minh and Vietnam-Azerbaijan Oil and Gas Industry Memorial Room in Baku, with the presence of General Secretary To Lam. This project clearly demonstrates the Party and State’s deep commitment to honouring President Ho Chi Minh internationally.
In the current context, standardizing the content and method of implementing Ho Chi Minh Cultural Spaces abroad has become essential to ensure effectiveness, interactivity, and suitability for each host country.
Hence, at the international seminar "Ho Chi Minh Cultural Space at Vietnamese Representative Missions Abroad" on June 9, Permanent Deputy Foreign Minister and Chairman of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO, Mr. Nguyen Minh Vu, stated that in this era of national advancement, the construction of these cultural spaces not only pays tribute to the great contributions of Ho Chi Minh, but also conveys the image of a globally integrated, dynamic, and creative Vietnam.
To fulfill that mission, the Deputy Foreign Minister proposed several directions, such as standardizing content and innovate presentation; applying digital technology to enhance interactivity; promoting the role of arts—literature, music, cinema—in inspiring and connecting communities; strengthening the collection of documents, connection with witnesses, and interdisciplinary research to enrich the humanistic depth; enhancing the proactive role of Vietnamese overseas missions in preserving and promoting the image of President Ho Chi Minh; mobilizing greater participation from localities, businesses, and overseas Vietnamese to build diverse, far-reaching, and sustainable cultural spaces.
An inspirational cultural Institution
In this shared spirit, Vietnamese Missions abroad are keenly aware of their role in creatively transforming the Ho Chi Minh Cultural Space into a vibrant and inspiring cultural entity.
According to Ambassador Nguyen Van Thao in Belgium, it is crucial to flexibly standardize the content and meaning of the Ho Chi Minh Cultural Space to suit the practical conditions of each mission.
Within such spaces, various activities should be organized—seminars, talks, contests exploring Ho Chi Minh’s thoughts, ethics, and style—with the participation of mission staff, the overseas Vietnamese community, and international friends.
In May, the Vietnamese Embassy in Greece hosted a screening of the film “Ho Chi Minh: Journey of Cultural and Peace-Building” and launched the Greek-language biography “Ho Chi Minh”. The event left a deep impression on the host country.
Notably, during this event, Greek friends expressed their love and reverence for President Ho Chi Minh through presentations on the heroic history of Vietnam’s revolution under his leadership, and by reciting his poems, which were imbued with revolutionary spirit, humanism, and artistic soul.
In Venezuela, the Vietnamese Embassy actively collaborated with international friends to create a distinctive cultural space commemorating the 135th anniversary of Ho Chi Minh’s birth.
Alongside a formal celebration, the Embassy worked with the Venezuelan President’s Office to host a seminar on “The Life and Career of President Ho Chi Minh,” drawing strong interest from local delegates and friends. In particular, during the art program “Forever Ho Chi Minh”, Venezuela’s Deputy Minister of Culture, Alí Alejandro Primera, personally performed well-known songs praising Ho Chi Minh as a heartfelt tribute from the South American people to the great leader of the global revolutionary movement.
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| Seminar on “The Life and Career of President Ho Chi Minh” held in Venezuela on May 20, 2025. (Source: Embassy of Vietnam in Venezuela) |
Deeply feeling the Vietnamese spirit
Honouring President Ho Chi Minh abroad is a consistent policy of the Party and State, aimed at spreading his profound values of life, career, thought, and ethics to international friends.
Highlighting the alignment between Ho Chi Minh’s thoughts and UNESCO’s universal values, Mr. Jonathan Baker, Head of the UNESCO Office in Hanoi, affirmed his commitment to close cooperation with Vietnam to honour and promote Ho Chi Minh’s legacy. This includes advancing his ideals of lifelong learning, global solidarity, sustainable development, and human progress through Ho Chi Minh Cultural Spaces overseas.
From an international perspective, Mr. Canh Hieu Ham, Third Secretary of the Chinese Embassy in Hanoi, noted that revolutionary relics of Ho Chi Minh in China are carefully preserved by the people, serving as vivid proof of the traditional friendship passed down through generations between the two nations.
Emphasizing Ho Chi Minh’s revolutionary footprints in China and the “red heritage” (revolutionary heritage resources) as a spiritual bond in party-to-party exchanges, Mr. Canh Hieu Ham suggested practical initiatives such as enhancing cooperation between museums and diplomatic missions of both sides; adding memorabilia and historical materials on Ho Chi Minh; promoting youth exchanges and historical exploration between the two countries.
According to Ms. Le Thi Hong Van, Director General of the Department of External Affairs and Cultural Diplomacy, under Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Secretary-General of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO, the Ho Chi Minh Cultural Space is a place for friends around the world to deeply feel the Vietnamese spirit through the image of a great human being.
“We hope to continue receiving valuable feedback and insights to further refine these spaces in terms of content, form, and implementation, ensuring both cultural depth and impactful outreach,” Ms. Le Thi Hong Van shared.
Wherever they are in the world, the Ho Chi Minh Cultural Spaces carry significance far beyond mere form. Each space ignites the love for homeland, national pride, and the aspiration for peace—echoing the very spiritual legacy that President Ho Chi Minh bequeathed to the Vietnamese people and progressive humanity.
