Witness emotionally recounts the journey of bringing the "national treasure" car back to serve the Government

(Fatherland) - On the morning of January 19, the President Ho Chi Minh Relic Site at the Presidential Palace solemnly held a ceremony to announce the Prime Minister's decision to recognize as National Treasures three cars used to serve President Ho Chi Minh from 1954 to 1969. Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Dao Cuong attended and presented the Prime Minister's Decision to recognize as National Treasures.

Deputy Minister Hoang Dao Cuong presented the Prime Minister's Decision recognizing as National Treasures three cars used to serve President Ho Chi Minh from 1954-1969 to the leaders of the President Ho Chi Minh Relic Site at the Presidential Palace through the periods.

The relics, documents and artifacts at the special national relic - President Ho Chi Minh Relic Site at the Presidential Palace, where he spent the last 15 years of his life, are the most vivid and authentic evidence reflecting his life, career, ideology, morality and style.

In the system of relics, documents, and artifacts that the Relic Site is preserving and promoting, there are three cars that served President Ho Chi Minh from 1954 to 1969, which have just been recognized as National Treasures by the Prime Minister (13th batch, 2024). Each car - each treasure is a historical story that holds a particularly profound value for the nation, people, and international friendship.

Director of the President Ho Chi Minh Relic Site at the Presidential Palace speaks at the ceremony

Three cars accompanied President Ho Chi Minh on nearly 2,000 business trips and working trips in Hanoi and other localities. Not only were they a means of transportation, the cars also carried profound symbolic value of international friendship, solidarity, patriotism of overseas Vietnamese and the efforts to foster national love and compatriotism of the beloved Uncle Ho.

The three cars are living proof of a historical period full of hardship, perseverance, and determination to gain independence, freedom, and national unification, while also conveying profound lessons about Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality, and style.

Speaking at the ceremony, Ms. Le Thi Phuong - Director of the President Ho Chi Minh Relic Site at the Presidential Palace said that the Prime Minister's decision to recognize three cars serving President Ho Chi Minh is not only an honor and pride of the Relic Site but also has great significance in affirming the value of Ho Chi Minh's heritage to the nation and humanity.

Delegates visited and listened to an explanation about the National Treasure group of three cars that served Uncle Ho.

“The artifacts and documents associated with his life not only reflect his simple life and close leadership style, but also symbolize the spirit of national solidarity and the sharing and support of international friends for Vietnam. Among those priceless artifacts, three cars – Zit, Pobeda and Peugeot 404 are special evidence of Ho Chi Minh’s life, style, ideology and morality…”, said Ms. Le Thi Phuong.

The Zit car, license plate HN 481 - was a gift from the Communist Party of the Soviet Union to President Ho Chi Minh in 1954. Designed with high-strength steel and bulletproof glass, this specialized car was produced in very limited quantities in the Soviet Union and was mainly for heads of state. From 1965, during the fierce war years, the car was always ready to serve Uncle Ho and the Politburo. The car was used to pick up heads of state visiting Vietnam to ensure absolute safety.

Zit car, license plate HN 481 - was a gift from the Communist Party of the Soviet Union to President Ho Chi Minh in 1954.

The car symbolizes the strong friendship between Vietnam and the Soviet Union; it is a manifestation of the valuable companionship and support from international friends for our nation's struggle for independence.

The Pobeda car, license plate HN 158 - was a gift from the Soviet Government in 1955. In March 1957, the Foreign Ministry's Protocol Department transferred this car to the Presidential Palace Office. The car served Uncle Ho from then until 1969. The car had the advantage of being spacious, airy, high chassis, strong engine, suitable for long distances, so it often served Uncle Ho on business trips to localities far from Hanoi. The car has become a familiar image of the simple leader, always standing side by side with his compatriots in all circumstances.

The Peugeot 404 car, license plate HNC 232, was a gift from overseas Vietnamese in Tan Dao to Uncle Ho in March 1964.

Finally, the Peugeot 404, license plate HNC 232, was a gift from Vietnamese expatriates in Tan Dao to Uncle Ho in March 1964. In mid-1966, after a minor stroke, Uncle Ho's health declined somewhat, so the car was used more often to help him move around the city. This type of car has a low chassis, a smooth engine, and is convenient to get on and off when his left leg is weak.

The car contains the sacred feelings of the children living far away from home for Uncle Ho and their homeland. During the years living far away from the Fatherland, no matter where they are, our overseas Vietnamese still wholeheartedly turn to their homeland, responding to the call of the Party and Uncle Ho, contributing to the cause of national liberation.

“The group of three national treasure cars is not only a means of transportation, but also carries profound historical and cultural values; not only reflecting the ideology and simple lifestyle of President Ho Chi Minh but also a vivid symbol, strongly affirming the everlasting vitality of the spirit of national solidarity; international solidarity; the passionate patriotism of overseas Vietnamese and the aspiration for independence and freedom of the Vietnamese people…”, Director of the Relic Site Le Thi Phuong said.

The national treasure group of three cars that once served Uncle Ho is currently being preserved and promoted at the Relic Site.

Ms. Le Thi Phuong emotionally shared, with the honor of being the unit assigned the task of directly protecting, preserving and promoting the value of President Ho Chi Minh's heritage at the Presidential Palace - The Prime Minister's decision to recognize as a National Treasure the three cars that once served President Ho Chi Minh is the pride and emotion of the generations who have devoted themselves day and night, wholeheartedly preserving and promoting the value of Uncle Ho's heritage.

"This is the motivation for the President Ho Chi Minh Relic Site at the Presidential Palace to continue to carry out its mission of preserving and spreading Ho Chi Minh's heritage to the public at home and abroad, contributing to preserving and promoting the spirit of solidarity, international friendship, as well as the deep patriotism of the nation," Ms. Le Thi Phuong emphasized.

Overview of the announcement ceremony

The Prime Minister's decision to recognize as National Treasures the three cars that once served President Ho Chi Minh not only honors the value of the heritage, but also strongly affirms the everlasting vitality of the spirit of national solidarity and international friendship that Uncle Ho laid a solid foundation for. This is an honor, pride, and affirmation of the noble value of the journey of more than half a century that generations of officials and workers of the Relic Site have silently preserved and promoted the heritage left by beloved Uncle Ho.

The announcement ceremony of the National Treasure decision is even more meaningful when it is held in the atmosphere of celebrating the Party, celebrating the Spring of At Ty and welcoming overseas Vietnamese from all over the world in the program "Spring Homeland 2025" to visit Uncle Ho's house. For many years, the President Ho Chi Minh Relic Site at the Presidential Palace has been a place that regularly welcomes overseas Vietnamese delegations returning to their hometowns to celebrate Tet to offer incense in memory of President Ho Chi Minh and organize the traditional carp releasing ceremony at Uncle Ho's Fish Pond.

Mr. Vu Van Huu, the person who directly bought the car to give to the Vietnamese Government, was moved at the ceremony.

Mr. Vu Van Huu, Mrs. Le Thi Phuong, Mr. Le Van Duc - three historical witnesses who bought and brought the Peugeot 404 car, license plate HNC 232 back to Vietnam in 1964 (from left to right)

Mr. Vu Van Huu, from Cam Pha City, Quang Ninh Province, one of the witnesses who directly bought and brought back to the country the Peugeot 404 car, license plate HNC 232, was moved because after many years, at the age of 85, he had the opportunity to see the old car again, one of the cars that had served Uncle Ho for many years, and was even more moved when this priceless artifact was recognized as a national treasure.

“That year I was 24 years old, had a car repair shop in France so I had a “license” to buy cars in France. Many years have passed, but I still keep memories of personally buying cars to bring back to the country, including a Peugeot 404, license plate HNC 232, which is being carefully preserved and maintained at the Presidential Palace Relic Site. The car was beautiful, good, easy to drive, affordable and very fuel-efficient. At that time, I only knew that the car was bought for the Government, and given to the Diplomatic Mission to bring back. Only later did I know that the car was used to serve Uncle Ho.

Today, we are very lucky to be healthy enough to be here, witnessing the ceremony announcing the Prime Minister's decision to recognize the three cars used to serve President Ho Chi Minh as national treasures. Looking back at the old car, an artifact imbued with the love of children far away from home towards their homeland, I am very happy", Mr. Vu Van Huu shared./.

Source: https://toquoc.vn/nhan-chung-xuc-dong-ke-lai-hanh-trinh-dua-o-to-bao-vat-quoc-gia-ve-phuc-vu-chinh-phu-2025011914101388.htm