Improving Understanding of Vietnam-Cuba’s Long-Standing Special Bond Among Young People

The education about our special traditional friendship between Vietnam and Cuba can be further enhanced through a variety of activities held in celebration of important historical events in the two countries’ relations. These activities may include cultural and artistic promotion and exchanges, connecting universities, and contests among young people to learn more about the two nations. Additionally, research and academic exchanges should also be encouraged. This was suggested by Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga, President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO), during a meeting with a high-ranking delegation of the Communist Party of Cuba on May 2 in Hanoi.

The high-ranking delegation of the Communist Party of Cuba to Vietnam is led by Mr. Roberto Morales Ojeda, Politburo member, Permanent member of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of Cuba.

VUFO President Nguyen Phuong Nga introduced to the Standing Committee of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of Cuba Roberto Morales Ojeda portraits of international friends making contributions to Vietnam.

According to Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga of the Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Association (VUFO) and the Cuban Embassy in Vietnam, the two organizations will be coordinating to celebrate the 50th anniversary of President Fidel Castro’s visit to the liberated region of South Vietnam in Quang Tri. This momentous occasion will serve as a reminder of the strong bond between the two countries and the good will of their leaders. It is also a chance to recognize the historic significance of Castro’s visit and to reaffirm the friendship between the two nations. It is a celebration that will be cherished by both countries for years to come.

VUFO will further promote mutual understanding between the two peoples, especially in the field of culture and art, through artist exchanges and the translation of literary works from both countries. Additionally, activities such as connecting universities, organizing competitions among young people, and exchanging talks between ambassadors and young people will be implemented to foster education about the traditional relationship, inherent good history, and sense of developing relations among the younger generations.

Academic and research exchanges will be strengthened between scholars and researchers of the two countries, especially in the study of the thought of Ho Chi Minh and Fidel Castro. This will create opportunities for deeper understanding of the two leaders’ ideologies and contribute to future developments in the field.

The Cuban Communist Party high-ranking delegation worked with VUFO.

VUFO and the Vietnam – Cuba Friendship Association are set to collaborate with both Cuban and Vietnamese partners to reinvigorate people-to-people exchange activities and identify suitable strategies for greater success. The most pressing priority is to spread knowledge of the special relationship between Vietnam and Cuba to the younger generations of both countries, thereby ensuring that the bond of solidarity and friendship built by their predecessors is preserved and strengthened and that both nations can continue to collaborate in all areas.

At the meeting, Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga highlighted the fruitful results of the high-level visit of the Vietnamese National Assembly Delegation led by National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue to Cuba, Argentina, and Eastern Uruguay. She stated that the visit had strengthened the traditional friendship and expanded the comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, contributing to the consolidation and development of their relations.

This affirms the spirit of solidarity, special traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation and mutual trust between the two brotherly countries that transcend both geographical and time distances, marking a new milestone, and creating a new impetus for further development of relations between the two countries in the new context.

According to Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga, the special traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation, and mutual trust between Vietnam and Cuba were established by the predecessor revolutionary leaders Jose Marti, Ho Chi Minh, Fidel Castro, and others of both countries. These individuals worked hard to cultivate, consolidate, develop, and deepen the relationship in all fields, for the benefit of both sides and their respective nations.

Vietnam has always revered and highly valued Cuba’s unwavering solidarity and sincere assistance, both material and spiritual, in their fight for national liberation, as well as in the development, protection, and progress of the nation.

The Ambassador affirmed the unwavering support and solidarity of the Vietnamese Party, State and people for the just cause of the Party, State and people of Cuba; opposed the policy of encirclement, embargo, and hostility against Cuba. At the same time, Vietnam always stands shoulder to shoulder with the Cuban people to protect the revolutionary achievements and successful process of updating the socialist socio-economic model.

Delegates took a commemorative photo (Photo: Thoi Dai)

Speaking at the meeting, Politburo member and Permanent member of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of Cuba, Roberto Morales Ojeda, expressed his pleasure at visiting Vietnam on the occasion of the 48th anniversary of the liberation of the South and the reunification of the country. In 2023, the Cuban people will also celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Moncada victory and the 50th anniversary of Cuban President Fidel Castro’s visit to the liberated region of South Vietnam in Quang Tri.

According to Roberto, the Cuban economy is facing immense difficulties due to the encirclement and embargo, which presents the biggest challenge to Cuba’s development and social welfare. Despite these hardships, the Cuban people have a long history of resilience and will continue to strive to overcome these challenges.

Thanking the Vietnam–Cuba Friendship Association and the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) for their unwavering support of the Cuban people, Roberto stressed the importance of cooperation between Cuba and Vietnam and their friends across the globe. Based on the strong bond that has been cultivated and strengthened by generations of leaders and citizens of the two countries, Cuba and Vietnam will intensify their collaboration in various areas in the near future, with economic promotion being one of their main priorities, in addition to the already existing strong political relations between the two Parties and States.

The Cuban Communist Party high-ranking delegation and guests laid flowers at the Jose Marti monument in Tao Dan flower garden, Hanoi (Photo: Thoi Dai)

In the afternoon of the same day, the esteemed delegation of the Communist Party of Cuba, led by the esteemed Politburo member and permanent member of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of Cuba, Mr. Roberto Morales Ojeda, arrived at Tao Dan flower garden in Hanoi to pay their respects to Jose Marti, the heroic Cuban national. They laid flowers at the monument of the esteemed Jose Marti in a solemn tribute.

The ceremony was attended by Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam, Orlando Nicolas Hernandez Guillén, as well as officials and employees of the Embassy, Ngo Le Van, Deputy Head of the Central Committee for External Relations, Phan Anh Son, Vice President and General Secretary of VUFO, representatives of the leadership of the Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Association, and former Vietnamese students in Cuba.