Speaking at the event, Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien affirmed that throughout the long struggle for national independence and reunification, the Vietnamese people always received faithful, sincere, and effective help from various countries and international friends, especially the Soviet Union, Cuba, China, Laos, and Cambodia, comrades and friends who spared no effort, wealth, or even blood for the independence and peace of Vietnam.
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Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien speaking at the ceremony |
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Delegates attending the ceremony |
He emphasized that, in line with the tradition of “When drinking water, remember its source” and the Party and State’s policy, the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defense directed the construction of the International Solidarity, Friendship and Gratitude Symbolic Site at the outdoor exhibition area of the Vietnam Military History Museum. This project carries profound historical, cultural, and political significance, symbolizing genuine, loyal, and heartfelt international solidarity, while standing as a testament to the immense sacrifices and contributions of international friends to Vietnam’s national liberation, reunification, and defense cause.
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Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Gennady Stepanovich Bezdetko speaking at the ceremony. |
The Deputy Minister stressed that the site will serve as a “Red Address” to educate current and future generations about the importance of international solidarity for independence, freedom, peace, and friendship. It also sends a message that Vietnam always values and remains grateful for international support—past, present, and future—and continually emphasizes the preservation, strengthening, and development of friendships with fraternal nations and global partners to promote peace, cooperation, and sustainable development worldwide.
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Deputy Defense Minister Senior Lieutenant General Le Huy Vinh (forth from left) and Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Gennady Stepanovich Bezdetko unveil the plaque for the statue cluster honoring military experts of the Soviet Union |
At the ceremony, Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Gennady Stepanovich Bezdetko expressed his sincere gratitude to Vietnam for preserving the shared historical memories with the former Soviet Union, seeing them as a testament to the genuine friendship and trust between the two nations. Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Rogelio Polanco Fuentes also expressed his deep appreciation for this meaningful tribute, affirming that during the war, Cuba always stood side by side with Vietnam, and in peacetime, both nations will continue to nurture the Vietnam–Cuba friendship for sustainable development.
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Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien and Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Rogelio Polanco Fuentes unveil the plaque for the statue cluster honoring Cuban military experts. |
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Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien and Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam He Wei laid the foundation stone for the statue cluster honoring Chinese military experts |
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Gen. Le Huy Vinh and Lao Ambassador to Vietnam Khamphao Ernthavanh laid the symbolic foundation stone for the statue cluster honoring Lao international voluntary soldiers. |
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Senior Lieutenant General Truong Thien To (forth from left), Deputy Chief of the General Department of Political Affairs of the Vietnam People's Army and Cambodian Ambassador to Vietnam Chea Kimtha laid the symbolic foundation stone for the statue cluster honoring Cambodian international voluntary soldiers. |
The International Solidarity, Friendship, and Gratitude Symbolic Site comprises five statue clusters, each representing the Soviet Union, Cuba, China, Laos, and Cambodia. Each cluster consists of 3–5 full-length figures, about 3 meters tall, standing on red-bronze pedestals measuring 4x4 meters.
After 45 days of construction, the Soviet and Cuban statue clusters have been completed, meeting safety and quality standards, while the Chinese, Laotian, and Cambodian clusters are still under construction and are expected to be finished by December 22.
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Colonel Roman Osvaldo Jimenez Ortega, the Cuban military attaché, spontaneously performs a musical act alongside Vietnamese singer. |
The plaque-unveiling ceremony for the memorial dedicated to international soldiers was part of a series of important activities marking the 80th anniversary of the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
Translated by Ninh Vinh – Hoang Truong