Cuba: Various activities mark Fidel’s historical visit to Vietnam
Special friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Cuba were nudged closer to Cuban friends through a book introduction ceremony held in Havana on September 10 as part of activities to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Cuban leader Fidel Castro’s historical visit to Vietnam.
“If I have a brother”, launched in the nation for the first time, features songs, poems and articles on the Vietnam-Cuba relations (Photo: VNA)
Havana (VNA) – Special friendship and cooperation between Vietnamand Cuba were nudged closer to Cuban friends through a book introductionceremony held in Havana on September 10 as part of activities to celebrate the45th anniversary of Cuban leader Fidel Castro’s historical visit toVietnam.
The event was held by the Young Communist League of Cuba at Jose Marti MemorialSite in Havana.
“If I have a brother”, launched in the nation for the first time, featuressongs, poems and articles on the Vietnam-Cuba relations.
According to Joan Cabo, director of the April Publishing House, the book willhelp Cuban young leaders have deeper understanding about the special bilateralties, and mutual respect.
Meanwhile, the “War stories of heroic Vietnam” book includes interviews and articlesof Raul Valdes Vivo and Marta Rojas, two Cuban journalists who witnessedVietnam’s struggles against the US, and the friendship between the twocountries.
Maria Victoria Valdes, daughter of late journalist Raul Valdes Vivo, said thatthe book not only gives an insight into the “Vietnam legend” to Cuban people,but also provides information on Cuban experts’ support for Vietnam during thewar against the US.
The same day, Fidel’s historical visit to Vietnam in September, 1973 wasbroadcast on the Cubavision’s weekly roundtable discussion. Within 60 minutes,members of the discussion, including Vietnamese Ambassador to Cuba Nguyen TrungThanh and journalist Marta Rojas, highlighted the historical milestone of thevisit in the bilateral relations.
Celebrations for Fidel’s historical visit were also held at Vo Thi Thang primaryschool, Le Van Tam and Victory Smile kindergartens.
Earlier, more than 90 schools across Cuba held celebrations to mark themilestone in the Vietnam-Cuba ties.
An official meeting to mark the event is scheduled for September 12.
Fidel Castro made three visits to Vietnam in September 1973, December 1995, andFebruary 2003. He was the first foreign leader to visit the newly-liberatedarea in the south of Vietnam. He was also a national leader who took the leadin international movements to support Vietnam’s struggle for nationalindependence and reunification, along with its process of national developmentand defence.
With all his great contributions, the Cuban leader was presented with the two noblestorders of the Vietnamese State: the Golden Star Order in 1982 and the Ho ChiMinh Order in 1989.-VNA
The Vietnam – Cuba Friendship Association and other relevant organizations on August 11 held a ceremony in Hanoi to mark the 40th anniversary of the 11th world youth festival in Cuba.
The Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Association in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap has significantly contributed to tightening the friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the Vietnamese and Cuban people, said a provincial official.
Secretary of Da Nang city Party Committee Truong Quang Nghia led a delegation to visit Cuba from August 28-30 to look for new cooperative opportunities, and foster the traditional relations between the two countries.
A ceremony was held at President Ho Chi Minh statue in the Cuban capital city of Havana on September 3 to kick-start a series of activities in celebration of the 45th anniversary of Cuban leader Fidel Castro’s historical visit to Vietnam in September 1973.
Dr. Ruvislei González Saez from the Research Centre of International Policy of Cuba, had an article on the historic trip by Fidel Castro to the liberated zone in South of Vietnam 45 years ago.
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