Vietnam's southern hub of Ho Chi Minh City and the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong on Sunday launched tree-planting campaigns to mark the 130th birth anniversary of late President Ho Chi Minh on May 19.
Authorities and people in Ho Chi Minh City held tree-planting activities across 24 districts that day. Last year, the city planted more than 400,000 trees.
Meanwhile, 1,500 pines and wild Himalayan cherry trees were planted at the campus sites of some universities in Lam Dong.
The tree-planting campaign was launched by the late president in 1959 when he wrote an article published by the Nhan Dan (People) newspaper, stressing the significance of tree-planting to each person, family and the nation. It has since become an annual festival at the beginning of each Lunar New Year.
“Spring is the time for planting trees. Making the country all the more resplendent as eternal springtime,” he wrote, advocating that “it doesn’t cost much, yet brings enormous benefits”.
The call for tree-growing urged the need to beautify national landscapes and grow forests because the country had just stepped out of a devastating war to end years of colonisation by the French, which saw a severe decline in natural forests.
The tradition has also been associated with the cultivation, or the education, of a person.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on Saturday cut the ribbon to inaugurate a temple dedicated to the ancestors of Ho Chi Minh in Kim Lien commune, Nam Dan district in the central province of Nghe An where the president was born.
Located to the south of Chung Mountain, the ancestral temple is constructed on an 83.63ha area.
Speaking at the launching ceremony, Phuc hailed Nam Dan as a land with cultural and historical richness where many extraordinary and noble people were born. He asked local youngsters to uphold the traditions of their forebears.
The temple symbolises a popular Vietnamese saying “When you drink water, remember the source”, Phuc said, adding that it will serve as a historical place for people to pay tribute and show gratitude towards Ho Chi Minh and his ancestors for their contributions to the nation.
On the same day, he attended the launching of a monument built by cooperatives and cooperative alliances across Vietnam to show respect for Ho Chi Minh.
Construction of the monument began at Kim Lien special national relic site in Lang Sen 3 village, Kim Lien commune in August, aiming to mark the late president’s 130th birthday (May 19, 1890 – 2020). It has a total investment of eight billion dong ($340,000).
Another ceremony was also held on Sunday in Nghe An, Ho Chi Minh’s hometown, to mark his 130th birthday anniversary.
Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Thai Thanh Quy said Ho Chi Minh left a precious spiritual legacy for the Party, people and army. His ideology has become a guiding star for the Party and people to win victories in the past, present and future.
The celebration took place when the country is preparing for the 13th National Party Congress, Quy said, adding that Nghe An is striving to study and follow President Ho Chi Minh’s ideology, morality and lifestyle.
Earlier, local authorities held a conference on Saturday to honour outstanding individuals and collectives in studying and following Ho Chi Minh’s ideology, morality and lifestyle.
As many as 30 individuals and collectives were honoured in an online literature, arts and press work contest on the movement in 2015-2020.
Ho Chi Minh devoted his whole life to national liberation while tirelessly striving for peace and progress in the world.
He led the national struggle for national independence to success and established the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, in 1945. He died in 1969.
VIET NAM NEWS/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
