Ho Chi Minh’s Legacy in the Land of Roses - Bulgaria

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Factory and avenue named after Ho Chi Minh

Valuable archival records and documents concerning President Ho Chi Minh’s visit to Bulgaria (from August 13-17, 1957) show that this first and only visit by President Ho Chi Minh was a major political and diplomatic event. It left a profound imprint and was inscribed in the golden pages of the history of relations between Vietnam and Bulgaria.

The leaders of the Party, State, and people of Bulgaria accorded President Ho Chi Minh a reception that was solemn, friendly, and warm, going beyond the formalities of international diplomatic protocol. It reflected the sincere affection and the highest esteem that the Bulgarian people held for President Ho Chi Minh and for the Vietnamese people.

Chairman of the Presidium of the Bulgarian National Assembly Georgi Damianov guided President Ho Chi Minh on a visit to the National Assembly Headquarters. (Photo: Bulgarian State Archives Agency).

After President Ho Chi Minh passed away (September 2, 1969), in commemoration and as an expression of deep respect, the Presidium of the National Assembly issued Decree No. 1123 dated September 16, 1969, naming the Construction Equipment Manufacturing Plant in the city of Stanke Dimitrov the “Ho Chi Minh Construction Equipment Manufacturing Plant,” and the newly inaugurated Nursery School Complex in the Emil Markov district of Sofia the “Ho Chi Minh Nursery School Complex.”

The Sofia City People’s Council also adopted a Resolution to rename the extended Iskŭrsko Shose Boulevard, stretching from Lenin Boulevard to Festival Boulevard, as “Ho Chi Minh Boulevard” (Minutes No. 10, Record No. 18, dated May 13, 1980), pursuant to Resolution No. 376 dated April 29, 1980 of the Central Committee of the Bulgarian Communist Party.

On the occasions of the 80th, 90th, and 100th anniversaries of President Ho Chi Minh’s birth, the publishing house “PARTIZDAT” released the book “Ho Chi Minh - A life devoted to the revolution” (1970); the “People’s Youth” Publishing House published “Ho Chi Minh - On youth education” (1986); and the Bulgaria-Vietnam Friendship Association together with the Independent Trade Union published the photo book “On the land of Ho Chi Minh” (1990).

On April 20, 2007, Governor of Plovdiv Todor Petkov received and presented to our Ambassador extremely valuable photographs of President Ho Chi Minh’s visit to Plovdiv. Violeta Gindeva, Mayor of Pazardzhik, also sent the Embassy a copy of the newspaper “September Flag” reporting on the rally welcoming President Ho Chi Minh in Pazardzhik, which continues to be carefully preserved in the city library.

In 1957, painter and Professor Iliya N. Petrov created the oil painting Portrait of President Ho Chi Minh, expressing the profound affection of the Bulgarian people and international artists for him. On October 31, 2017, this painting was presented to the Ho Chi Minh Museum.

Liudmila T. Nikolova still carefully preserves photographs of her late father, Todor D. Todorov, a member of a voluntary medical expert delegation that assisted Vietnam in 1957 and 1958, who had the honor of taking commemorative photos with President Ho Chi Minh at the Presidential Palace.

The people of the capital Sofia warmly welcomed President Ho Chi Minh. (Photo: Bulgarian State Archives Agency).

Inauguration of the Statue of President Ho Chi Minh

Within the framework of the official visit to Bulgaria (from October 22-24, 2025), General Secretary To Lam and his spouse, Ngo Phuong Ly, together with the high-level Vietnamese delegation, visited Vrana Palace in the capital city of Sofia. President Ho Chi Minh had stayed at this very site during his official friendship visit to Bulgaria in August 1957.

On this occasion, General Secretary To Lam respectfully presented to former Tsar Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha a commemorative plaque bearing the portrait of President Ho Chi Minh to be installed at the Palace, with the wish that the site would become a symbol of the traditional friendship between the two peoples.

The people of the capital Sofia held a mass rally to welcome President Ho Chi Minh. (Photo: Bulgarian State Archives Agency).

General Secretary To Lam and his spouse, together with the high-level Vietnamese delegation, also attended the solemn inauguration ceremony of the Statue of President Ho Chi Minh within the grounds of the Embassy of Vietnam in Bulgaria.

President Ho Chi Minh takes a commemorative photograph with the Bulgarian medical expert delegation. (Photo provided by Liudmila T. Nikolova).

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