Viet Nam, a land of cultural beauty and smiling people
This is my first time setting foot in Vietnam – a land that has long lingered in my mind as a symbol of courage, of unwavering faith, and of cultural beauty that stretches along the course of history.
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| Mr. Mohammed Rasooldeen and Vietnamese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Trinh Thi Tam. (Photo: Colombo Times) |
The moment I stepped off the plane, I felt not only the warm and friendly atmosphere, but also as if I were returning to a place already familiar in my thoughts.
Prior to my departure, I had the opportunity of meeting Viet Nam ambassador in Colombo Trinh Thi Tam at the embassy and she briefed me on the salient features of the country and had made the necessary arrangements for successful stay in her country.
Vietnam welcomed me not with flowery words, but with the sincere smiles of humble people, with eyes shining with national pride, and with warm handshakes that seemed to say: “Welcome to this resilient land.”
I was also deeply impressed by how Vietnam preserves its traditional values amidst the modern era. Hanoi embraces moss-covered rooftops shrouded in early morning mist, street vendors, and the rustic sounds of daily life – giving me the feeling of walking into a vivid documentary film. Ho Chi Minh City – the city named after the country’s great leader – with its vibrant, youthful, and ever-evolving pace of life, gives me hope for a radiant future unfolding before this beloved nation.
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But what moved me the most, perhaps, is the people of Vietnam. I met them on the streets, in eateries, at meetings – each person with their own unique spirit, yet sharing common traits: optimism, resilience, and kindness. I see in them not only vitality, but the depth of history – as if every smile today is lit by the long years of courageously enduring war, natural disasters, and hardship.
To me, Vietnam is not merely a country. It is a symphony of determination, of the harmony between identity and aspiration. And this trip, I believe, is not just an ordinary business visit – but a journey in search of answers for myself: about human inner strength, about the meaning of independence, and about the profound beauty of a people who know pain, know how to rise, know how to smile and love the rest of the world.
Fortunately, my visit coincides with the April 30th holiday – a day that I believe carries profound significance not only for the Vietnamese people, but also leaves a mark in the collective memory of humanity regarding the desire for peace, independence, and self-determination.
Like you, April 30th to me, a son of a distant South Asian land, is not just a commemorative holiday. It is a reminder of courage, of those who fell for the motherland in exchange for the future, and above all – of unwavering faith in what lies ahead. In the flow of modern world history, not many nations have endured such a long journey to reclaim freedom. I truly admire how the Vietnamese wrote that chapter of history – not just with weapons, but with willpower, patriotism, and an unshakable longing for peace.
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| The author in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam in April 2025. (Photo: Colombo Times) |
As a journalist, I have read many documents and watched documentaries on Vietnam’s resistance – with all its cruelty, loss, and ongoing debates across generations. But only when standing here, seeing veterans walking slowly among crowds of eager young people on flower-decorated streets, hearing revolutionary songs sung not from a stage but by the “choir” of local militia, did I truly feel the sacred weight of Liberation Day.
I saw in the eyes of the Vietnamese – young and old – a proud pride, a gratitude for the past while always looking toward the future. It is precisely this resilient spirit, unity, and perseverance through adversity that helped a nation long engulfed in darkness triumph in war and stride firmly in peace.
More than anything, I believe that April 30th is not only a glorious memory for the Vietnamese people, but also one of the most powerful testaments to the strength of the people – the ability to rise above fate with their own hands and minds. It is a day the whole world should remember – as an epic of the will to live freely and peacefully.
As someone who has devoted more than half of his life to journalism, I have always believed that journalism, in its deepest essence, is not just a vehicle for information, but a bridge connecting souls, stories, and aspirations between people, between nations.
In an era when news reaches us every second, amid the massive flow of data, sometimes truth, understanding, and compassion can be overshadowed. That is when journalism (if honest, humane, and responsible) becomes a guiding light, helping people understand one another better, sympathize more, and grow closer despite geographic or cultural differences.
The author is a well-known journalist, who has been in active profession for the past 50 years both in Sri Lanka and abroad. He is among nearly 200 foreign correspondents coming to Vietnam to cover the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (April 30, 1975 - April 30, 2025).
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