The image of President Ho Chi Minh in the hearts of Vietnam and the world.

(PLVN) - President Ho Chi Minh was not only the beloved leader of the Vietnamese people but also a leader and national liberation hero admired by people around the world with sincere devotion. Many places around the world have erected statues of President Ho Chi Minh – a world cultural figure.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of visitors come to commemorate President Ho Chi Minh at various historical sites and monuments. According to statistics, Vietnam currently has approximately 700 historical sites, 30 monuments and squares, and over 100 memorial works dedicated to President Ho Chi Minh in localities throughout the country. These sites welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors annually. The Ho Chi Minh Memorial Site at the Presidential Palace alone has received 73 million domestic and 12 million international visitors since 1969.

Around the world, there are 35 monuments and statues commemorating President Ho Chi Minh, which have become venues for cultural events organized by the Vietnamese community abroad. Memorial plaques and bronze statues are erected at locations in countries where he lived, studied, worked, or visited. Many countries have named parks, schools, streets, squares, factories, production teams, clubs, and kindergartens after him. Some national libraries and international universities have even created Ho Chi Minh Spaces to display images and publications about his life and career... This demonstrates the profound respect and gratitude of the Vietnamese people and the love and respect of people around the world for him. This is clearly evidenced by the 1987 UNESCO Resolution: “President Ho Chi Minh is an outstanding symbol who dedicated his entire life to the national liberation cause of the Vietnamese people, contributing to the common struggle of nations for peace, national independence, democracy and social progress; and made significant contributions in many areas in the fields of culture, education and art.”

The enduring nature of Ho Chi Minh's thought makes him immortal.

The monuments, memorial sites commemorating President Ho Chi Minh's significant overseas stops, and the vibrant domestic and international activities that have taken place, are taking place, and will continue to take place, show that "Ho Chi Minh is a legendary figure and a figure of all times, a person who still lives with us today. Ho Chi Minh is not a memory of the past. The eternity in Ho Chi Minh's thought makes him immortal..."

Around the world, one notable example is the bronze statue of President Ho Chi Minh in Peace Park next to Avenue 26, one of the most beautiful parks in the heart of Havana (Cuba). Designed by architect Joel Diaz (Vice President of the Cuba-Vietnam Friendship Association), it was inaugurated in 2003, on the occasion of the 113th anniversary of his birth.

In Mexico, a statue of President Ho Chi Minh stands beside a simple rattan table and chairs, with the words "Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom" in Spanish and his signature inscribed in gold above it. This statue was erected on January 16, 2009, in the "Freedom for the Peoples" Park in Mexico City. The Ho Chi Minh monument in Acapulco, Guerrero state (southern Mexico), is located opposite the monument to the Latin American national hero Simon Bolivar, on Miguel Aleman Avenue, the city's main and largest avenue.

In Russia, Ho Chi Minh Square and Monument is located at the intersection of Dmitri Ulyanov Street (brother of revolutionary V.I. Lenin) and "Sixty Years of the October Revolution" Street in Moscow. It is the work of Vladimir Efimovich Tsigal, People's Artist, Academician of the USSR Academy of Fine Arts, and author of more than 40 famous monumental sculptures. The Ho Chi Minh Avenue and Monument is in the Zasviyazhski district of Ulyanovsk, Lenin's birthplace, situated on the banks of the Volga River, approximately 893 km east of Moscow. The Ho Chi Minh Monument is located in Borisenko Garden, Vladivostok (Russian Federation), inaugurated in 2019. The Ho Chi Minh Institute and its statue are located on the grounds of the Faculty of Philology, St. Petersburg State University, inaugurated on the occasion of the 120th anniversary of Ho Chi Minh's birth (May 19, 2010).

In France, on May 19, 2005, the Montreuil city government erected a bust of President Ho Chi Minh in the "Ho Chi Minh Space" at the city's History Museum (about 15km east of Paris), which houses relics of him from his time in France. This is where officials from Vietnamese representative offices and expatriates in France come to offer incense and pay respects to President Ho Chi Minh every May 19th, and where delegations from Vietnam come to express their reverence before the spirit of the leader who dedicated his entire life to the cause of national liberation.

In Singapore, a memorial plaque and statue of President Ho Chi Minh are located in the Asian Civilisations Museum Park, on the banks of the Singapore River. The memorial plaque was inaugurated in May 2008 to commemorate the 118th anniversary of his birth and the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Singapore. The statue of President Ho Chi Minh is the first monument in Singapore's "Friends to Our Shores" program, inaugurated in 2011…

In addition, restoration and new construction of statues and monuments dedicated to President Ho Chi Minh are still being carried out in many countries. Before 2009, there were 6 statues of Uncle Ho located in several countries across Asia, Europe, Africa, and Latin America. After 10 years, 29 new projects have been added, bringing the total number of statues and monuments of Uncle Ho abroad to 35 in 22 countries.