Nha Rong wharf - Ho Chi Minh Museum
	Vietnam, Thailand Celebrate 50 Years of Diplomatic Relations at Nha Rong Wharf

Profound historical and contemporary significance

Attending the seminar were Pham Thuy Chinh, Deputy Chairwoman of the National Assembly’s Committee for Economic and Financial Affairs and Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly’s Vietnam-ASEAN Friendship Parliamentarians Group; leaders, former leaders, and representatives of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations and members of the Vietnam-France Friendship and Cooperation Association; as well as teachers and students from several universities.

June 5, 1911, is a particularly sacred milestone in the history of the Vietnamese nation. From Nha Rong Wharf, the young Nguyen Tat Thanh boarded the French ship Amiral Latouche-Tréville, embarking on a journey across continents in search of a path to liberate the nation. That journey marked a historic turning point for the Vietnamese revolution, leading to the discovery of the correct path to national liberation and laying the foundation for the nation’s great victories in the twentieth century and the country’s development today.

Delegates attend the seminar “From Nha Rong Wharf: A Journey to Shape the Future” in Hanoi on June 4. (Photo: Dinh Hoa).

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Nguyen Thuy Anh, President of the Vietnam-France Friendship and Cooperation Association, emphasized that the journey from Nha Rong Wharf in 1911 to today’s endeavor of shaping the future represents a continuation of the spirit of dedication to the homeland, the aspiration to learn, and the determination to build a strong and prosperous Vietnam in the new era. According to her, the seminar provided an opportunity to reflect on this historical journey, pay tribute to President Ho Chi Minh’s immense contributions, and inspire independent thinking, a spirit of integration, and aspirations for development among today’s generation.

Nguyen Thuy Anh, President of the Vietnam-France Friendship and Cooperation Association. (Photo: Dinh Hoa).

The seminar also served as a forum for researchers, experts, diplomats, National Assembly deputies, representatives of friendship organizations, association members, young people, and students to exchange views and further deepen lessons on independent thinking, the spirit of learning and international integration, people-to-people diplomacy and international solidarity, as well as aspirations for national development in the new era.

A journey lasting three decades

In his presentation entitled “From Saigon Wharf: The Journey to Independence and Freedom,” Dr. Chu Duc Tinh, former Director of the Ho Chi Minh Museum, together with scholars and researchers, retraced the journey of a young man seeking a path to save his country - a young man whose heart was deeply concerned with the fate of the nation and driven by a burning aspiration: how to secure independence for Vietnam, freedom for the Vietnamese people, and ensure that everyone would have food, clothing, and access to education.

From that simple yet profound question began a journey across continents, countries, occupations, and countless hardships in search of a path to independence and freedom for the Vietnamese nation.

Throughout this three-decade journey, he worked, studied, conducted research, tested ideas through practice, and explored various development models around the world, thereby forming an independent and self-reliant mindset that connected the nation’s cause with the spirit of the times.

In particular, drawing from the reality of a colonized nation, he gradually brought the issues of colonial and national liberation to political and social organizations in France as well as to international forums, affirming the legitimate voice and aspirations of oppressed peoples around the world, including those of Vietnam.

From that journey, he found the correct path to national liberation - a path that led to the great victories of the Vietnamese revolution in the twentieth century and the country’s development today.

The journey of that young patriot helped shape Ho Chi Minh’s patriotism and opened for the Vietnamese nation a path toward independence and freedom.

It was also a profoundly humanitarian journey, through which the courage and self-sacrifice of Nguyen Tat Thanh, Nguyen Ai Quoc, and President Ho Chi Minh have been forever etched in the hearts of every Vietnamese citizen.

Books on display at the seminar. (Photo: Dinh Hoa).

A foreign policy philosophy rooted in love for humanity

From the perspective of foreign affairs, Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and former President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations, focused on clarifying Ho Chi Minh’s thought on people-to-people diplomacy and its value in the current context. According to the Ambassador, President Ho Chi Minh’s philosophy of people-to-people diplomacy originated from his love for humanity, his belief in the strength of the people, and international solidarity, becoming an important foundation of modern Vietnamese diplomacy.

Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga emphasized that the principle of “taking the people as the root,” combining national strength with the strength of the times, and uniting domestic solidarity with international solidarity remains highly relevant in a world marked by profound changes and uncertainties. People-to-people diplomacy continues to be one of the three pillars of Vietnam’s comprehensive and modern diplomacy, contributing to the creation of a peaceful environment, the mobilization of external resources, and the enhancement of the country’s international standing.

Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and former President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations. (Photo: Dinh Hoa).

The seminar helped promote Ho Chi Minh’s values of patriotism, the spirit of learning, international integration, and the absorption of the finest achievements of humanity in service of the nation. In doing so, it contributed to nurturing ideals, social responsibility, and aspirations to contribute among officials, association members, and the younger generation in the current period.

More than a century later, that journey continues to offer values of enduring practical significance: genuine patriotism cannot be separated from a willingness to learn from the world; national strength cannot be separated from the strength of the times; aspirations for renewal are not incompatible with steadfast commitment to serving the homeland and the people; and self-reliance is not at odds with the spirit of international solidarity and cooperation.

These are also the values that the Vietnam-France Friendship and Cooperation Association is striving to foster through people-to-people diplomacy, cultural exchanges, and friendly cooperation between the peoples of Vietnam and France.

The seminar successfully connected the past with contemporary issues. From Nha Rong Wharf 115 years ago to today’s journey of international integration, the aspiration for national development and the strength of international solidarity remain core values that will help Vietnam move forward confidently in the new era.

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