President Ho Chi Minh passed away on September 2, 1969 and left behind a testament of eternal ideological, political and cultural significance for the entire Party, people and army.

A flag saluting and hoisting ceremony held every morning at the historical Ba Dinh Square in Hanoi. (photo for illustration: qdnd.vn)

He started writing his will during the national struggle against the US, when victory was on its way despite it being a challenging period requiring the solidarity and endurance of the whole Party, people and army in the North and South with a complete faith in a final triumph.

The testament brought together the late President’s historic, cultural and ideological values, and maps out his course of action for Vietnam’s revolution, both in the present and in future.

His willpower, confidence, spirit of revolutionary optimism and accountability to the people manifested themselves in his predictions of a victory over the US and national reunification, as well as in his guidelines for national revolution.

The President’s testament expresses his faith in and loyalty to fraternal countries and friends all over the world.

The document was a theoretical work on building and strengthening a ruling party, in which he affirmed “Our Party is the ruling Party.” To fulfill the responsibility of leading society, the Party must be strong in terms of politics, ideology and organisation and stay close to the people. It has to incessantly strive to improve the lot of the working class and regard Marxism-Leninism as the absolute ideology and guideline for all Party activities, the text said.

The testament formed the centre piece of the President’s ideology on national independence and socialism, applying Marxism-Leninism to the country’s general situation and to the relationships between equality and social progress; between economic growth and cultural development and their roles in building a new society; and between the strength of national solidarity and the era of his time; all under the premise of the people being at the heart of everything.

The will outlined important issues for the country’s renewal process. President Ho Chi Minh thought that renovation is vital for development. It is also a “great, heavy and complicated task”, and a “struggle against what is backward to create the new”. He called upon the Party to develop a sound plan for economic and cultural development, thus helping to improve people’s lives.

The testament highlighted the value of culture, giving direction for Vietnam’s cultural development, and proposing major campaigns on education and culture for the people of Vietnam and society at large.

His work also mentions the importance of developing a new lifestyle - a culture of being resourceful and free from wastefulness, as well as maintaining a harmonious relationship between humans, their environment and nature.

The President passed away 45 years ago, and his testament is a spiritual and invaluable asset embedded in Vietnam’s collective memory, and it sheds light on the road to glory and victory of the entire Party, army and people of Vietnam.

His thoughts and testament will live on forever within the Vietnamese people and in the respect and admiration he gained from international friends.

Source: VNA