Remembering history and looking towards the homeland

At Ho Chi Minh Park in Havana, on August 31, the Embassy of Vietnam in Cuba, in coordination with the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP), held a flower-laying ceremony in commemoration of President Ho Chi Minh.

The Embassy of Vietnam in Cuba and the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples held a flower-laying ceremony in commemoration of President Ho Chi Minh. (Photo: Embassy of Vietnam in Cuba)

According to the Embassy of Vietnam in Cuba, Ambassador Le Quang Long recalled the special significance of September 2, 1945, when President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence, giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The Ambassador also highlighted the profound values contained in President Ho Chi Minh’s Testament.

On the occasion, the Ambassador expressed his gratitude to the Party, State and people of Cuba for their support, solidarity and assistance to Vietnam. He also thanked local agencies, friendship organizations, authorities and people for their efforts to preserve the monument to President Ho Chi Minh in Havana.

In France, on August 31, the Embassy of Vietnam and Vietnamese representative agencies held a flower-laying ceremony at the monument to President Ho Chi Minh in Montreuil, a city on the outskirts of Paris.

Vietnamese Ambassador to France Trinh Duc Hai speaks at the flower-laying ceremony commemorating President Ho Chi Minh. (Photo: VNA)

The Vietnam News Agency (VNA) quoted Vietnamese Ambassador to France Trinh Duc Hai as saying that this year’s event took place on the occasion of the 115th anniversary of Nguyen Tat Thanh’s departure to seek a path for national salvation and the 80th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh’s visit to France as an honored guest of the French Government.

According to the Ambassador, France is one of the places that bears strong imprints of Nguyen Ai Quoc – Ho Chi Minh’s revolutionary journey. There, he lived, worked, studied and engaged in political activities, gradually finding the right path to national salvation. The Ambassador expressed his gratitude to the authorities and people of Montreuil and the Living History Museum for preserving sites and traces associated with President Ho Chi Minh.

In Macao, on August 30, the Association of Vietnamese People in the Macao Special Administrative Region held a ceremony marking the 81st anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day on September 2, with around 300 delegates and Vietnamese expatriates in attendance.

Vietnamese Consul General in Hong Kong and Macao Le Duc Hanh spoke highly of the solidarity and contributions of the Vietnamese community to the homeland and the local community. Chairman of the Association of Overseas Vietnamese in Macao Duong Trung Duc said the annual celebration provides an opportunity for community members to turn their thoughts to their roots, meet, exchange and strengthen bonds within the community.

Highlighting achievements and connecting with African partners

In celebration of the 81st anniversary of Vietnam’s National Day and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam-Ethiopia diplomatic relations (1976-2026), the Embassy of Vietnam in Tanzania held a ceremony in Dar es Salaam, attended by Tanzanian politicians and scholars, representatives of the diplomatic corps, businesses, partners and the Vietnamese community.

Vietnamese Ambassador Vu Thanh Huyen highlighted Vietnam’s socio-economic development, foreign affairs and international integration achievements. She also affirmed that Vietnam attaches importance to relations with African countries and wishes to strengthen cooperation with East African partners. Ethiopian Ambassador Fekadu Beyene Ayana spoke highly of Vietnam’s achievements and said that 50 years of diplomatic relations provide a foundation for the two countries to further expand cooperation.

Students from Joaquim Chissano University (Mozambique) perform a Vietnamese conical hat dance at the ceremony. (Photo: The World and Vietnam Report)

In Mozambique, Vietnamese Ambassador Tran Thi Thu Thin highlighted Vietnam’s achievements after 40 years of Doi Moi, while reviewing several cooperation outcomes, including the Movitel telecommunications joint venture and cooperation in agriculture and education. In 2026, Vietnam provided USD 100,000 in assistance to help Mozambique overcome the consequences of flooding. The Vietnamese community in the country also donated six tonnes of food to residents of Maputo Province.

Mozambique’s Minister of Planning and Development Salim Valá said Vietnam’s experience in industrialization, export development and technology application offers valuable lessons for Mozambique. He proposed expanding cooperation in production, joint investment and deep processing, particularly in high-tech agriculture, fisheries, energy, logistics and digital finance.

Vietnamese Community Builds Bridges Between Vietnam and Thailand From preserving the Vietnamese language and national culture to fostering people-to-people exchanges, the Vietnamese community in Thailand is making practical contributions to nurturing increasingly close, substantive and profound relations between Vietnam and Thailand.

Vietnamese Community Football Tournament in Japan Celebrates National Day On August 30, the Vietnamese community football tournament in the Tokai region was held at Koshido Stadium in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, in celebration of the 81st anniversary of Vietnam’s National Day (September 2, 1945 - September 2, 2026).