Over the years, this place has become a red address, attracting a large number of compatriots from all over the country and international friends to visit President Ho Chi Minh, participate in political activities, visit, study, research, and learn about the life, background, revolutionary career, ideology, morality and style of President Ho Chi Minh.

A familiar and sacred place for every Vietnamese person

The Ba Dinh Historical - Cultural Relic Complex is located in the political and cultural center of the capital Hanoi and the whole country, a very familiar and sacred place for every Vietnamese person. Here, on September 2, 1945, in the middle of the historic Ba Dinh Square, President Ho Chi Minh solemnly read the Declaration of Independence, giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, the first worker-peasant state in Southeast Asia, opening the beginning of a new era - the era of independence, freedom, and happiness - the Ho Chi Minh era. This is also the place where Uncle Ho lived and worked from December 1954 until he breathed his last farewell to his compatriots, comrades and international friends to the eternal world, at 9:47 a.m. on September 2, 1969.

The honor guard performs the daily flag-raising ceremony at Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. Photo: qdnd.vn.

After President Ho Chi Minh passed away, compatriots and soldiers across the country missed him immensely, and international friends also shared the deep sorrow with our Party, State and people. In accordance with the earnest wish of the entire Party, the entire army and the entire people to preserve President Ho Chi Minh's body for a long time and soon build his mausoleum so that his name, image, great career and great contributions will forever last with the country and forever be engraved in the hearts and minds of every Vietnamese person, on November 29, 1969, the Politburo and the Central Committee of our Party resolved: " With infinite love and eternal gratitude to President Ho, we must carry out to the best of our ability the task of preserving President Ho's body for a long time and building his mausoleum".

The Politburo's decision is a decision of "People's heart - Party's will", in accordance with the tradition, the spirit of "When drinking water, remember its source" and the fine customs of the Vietnamese people - the custom of worshiping ancestors, tutelary gods and those who have made great contributions in the history of building and defending the country. The construction of the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is not only to commemorate and show gratitude to the beloved Uncle Ho, but also to satisfy the legitimate and earnest desire of all Vietnamese people to visit Uncle Ho, to see him with their own eyes, to express their respect and eternal gratitude for his great contributions to our nation, our people, our mountains and rivers, our country; especially the feelings of the people and soldiers in the South who are facing the enemy day and night, and have never met him.

With his great revolutionary career, great contributions, and brilliant ideology, morality and personality, President Ho Chi Minh is forever worthy of being a great man of the Vietnamese people - a national liberation hero, an outstanding cultural celebrity. His example of sacrificing his whole life for the people and the country; his ideology, morality and style always encourage and motivate generations of Vietnamese people to firmly follow the revolutionary path chosen by the Party, Uncle Ho and our people. Preserving President Ho's body and building his mausoleum is to contribute to preserving the ideology, morality, style and revolutionary career of President Ho Chi Minh; at the same time, preserving a priceless heritage of the nation and of all humanity.  

It has been nearly 54 years since President Ho Chi Minh passed away and nearly 48 years since the inauguration of his Mausoleum (August 29, 1975). Day after day, at Ba Dinh Square, the seemingly endless stream of people followed one another to Uncle Ho in emotion, respect and infinite gratitude. In the Mausoleum, Uncle Ho was still leisurely and simple as if he had just taken a nap after a day of work....

Since the opening of the Mausoleum, nearly 70 million domestic and international visitors (including millions of foreigners from most countries, territories and international organizations) have visited the Mausoleum to pay their respects to President Ho Chi Minh. In recent years, implementing the Party's renovation policy, the country's socio-economy has continuously developed, people's lives have improved, the transportation system has been expanded, travel conditions have become more convenient... the number of people and international visitors visiting Uncle Ho, political and cultural activities at the Mausoleum has increased every day, each year higher than the previous year. Especially, on holidays, President Ho Chi Minh's birthday (May 19) and National Day (September 2), every day tens of thousands of people visit the Mausoleum to visit Uncle Ho and tour the area.

For every Vietnamese person, visiting Uncle Ho's Mausoleum is an emotional need, a custom, a beautiful traditional culture, to show gratitude and turn to the roots. From the elderly to the children; from ordinary people to state officials and civil servants, although each person has a different mood, when coming to Uncle Ho, they all find love, peace, serenity, and feel "With Uncle Ho, our hearts are purer" . Many foreign visitors when coming to Vietnam, standing in front of President Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, witnessing the seemingly endless stream of people visiting Uncle Ho, felt: There are few leaders in the world who are as admired by the people as President Ho Chi Minh.

Experience the emotional ladder to feel the simple greatness of Uncle Ho

After visiting Uncle Ho's Mausoleum, people from all over the country and international tourists will visit the Ho Chi Minh President Relic Site at the Presidential Palace and the Ho Chi Minh Museum. Here, tourists can see artifacts, documents, images and listen to stories about the life, career and noble personality of President Ho Chi Minh. Through the system of documents, materials and artifacts about Uncle Ho, visitors can experience the emotional levels, feel the greatness but also the simplicity and everydayness of him. As President, although he did not have a medal on his chest, President Ho Chi Minh was the embodiment of the nation, the symbol of the truth "Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom" , of the belief in victory, of immense love, of the spirit of serving the Fatherland and the people; He integrated himself into the nation and the people, so that every Vietnamese person felt like he was there and found in him something of themselves, thereby strengthening their belief and determination to cultivate and improve themselves, study and follow his example.

Ho Chi Minh Museum.

Over the past 54 years, units in the Ba Dinh Historical - Cultural Relic Complex have coordinated to ensure good security, order, and absolute safety for compatriots and international visitors to visit Uncle Ho's Mausoleum, visit the President Ho Chi Minh Relic Complex at the Presidential Palace and Ho Chi Minh Museum; absolutely protect the activities of Party and State leaders and heads of state in the area. At the same time, they have always kept the campus spacious, clean and beautiful; increased coordination activities, organized exchanges, culture, arts, sports... to enhance the spirit of solidarity, cohesion and learning among the forces in the Relic Complex.

The Ba Dinh Historical - Cultural Relic Complex has organized a reception, served wholeheartedly, thoughtfully, and absolutely safely for compatriots and international visitors who came to visit President Ho Chi Minh, commemorate the heroic martyrs, visit the Presidential Palace Relic Site, Ho Chi Minh Museum, and organize political and cultural activities in the area. Improve the effectiveness of propaganda work, focusing on propaganda about the life and revolutionary career, about Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality, and style, about Uncle Ho's feelings for the people and the people's feelings for him; about the task of preserving and protecting the body of President Ho Chi Minh for a long time and the absolute safety of the Mausoleum's political and cultural significance.

In addition, to contribute to improving the effectiveness of education on Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and style, in recent years, agencies and units in the Ba Dinh Historical - Cultural Relics Complex have also organized many seminars, scientific discussions, political activities, and thematic exhibitions to commemorate the birthday and death of President Ho Chi Minh as well as major and important events of the country and the nation. Thematic exhibitions are not only rich in content but also regularly innovated in form of expression, so that stories, documents, artifacts and images related to President Ho Chi Minh are increasingly closer, creating a deeper impression on the public. In particular, in recent years, through thematic exhibitions, the Ba Dinh Historical - Cultural Relics Complex has announced more original artifacts, which have always been preserved and kept in the archives. It can be said that thematic exhibitions are an important and effective form of education in the propaganda work about Ho Chi Minh's heritage and cultural space, about studying and following Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and style, and promptly and effectively updating the policies and guidelines of the Party and State.

Over the years, our Party and State have issued many directives, resolutions and conclusions to promote the study and follow of Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and lifestyle. However, promoting the value of the Ba Dinh Historical - Cultural Relic Complex in studying and following Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and lifestyle still has limitations: The content, form and methods of propaganda and education are not really rich and attractive; the application of information technology in propaganda and education is not much; the coordination and cooperation of forces in organizing and welcoming people and international guests to visit Uncle Ho, visit, study and participate in political activities in the area are sometimes not smooth and flexible...

Promoting the value of Ba Dinh Historical - Cultural Relic Cluster

In the coming time, to continue promoting the value of the Ba Dinh Historical - Cultural Relic Cluster in studying and following Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and style for cadres, party members and the masses, it is necessary to focus on implementing well the following solutions:

Firstly, continue to educate and raise awareness among cadres, party members and the masses about the value of the Ba Dinh Historical - Cultural Relic Complex as well as studying and following Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and style.

This is a decisive solution to the awareness and actions of cadres, party members and the masses. Because, the Ba Dinh Historical - Cultural Relic Complex is a place associated with his revolutionary life. It is a place to preserve and absolutely protect the body of President Ho Chi Minh for a long time, a place to preserve and conserve the values ​​of artifacts about him, becoming a symbol of the cultural quintessence of the Vietnamese people. With the great political and cultural significance of the Mausoleum, the Ho Chi Minh Relic Complex at the Presidential Palace and the Ho Chi Minh Museum, along with the value of documents, images and artifacts related to Uncle Ho at the Ba Dinh Historical - Cultural Relic Complex, it has been and is making an important contribution to educating all classes of people, especially the young generation, about the glorious history and traditions of the Party and the nation, about the life, great revolutionary career and noble qualities of President Ho Chi Minh. Every document, image, and artifact here has profound historical and cultural significance, expressing his feelings, simplicity, and pure moral example.

Accordingly, Party committees at all levels strengthen leadership, direction, and raise awareness of responsibility for cadres, party members, and the masses, first of all, educating about traditions through revolutionary historical relics, associated with propaganda and education on the values ​​of the Ba Dinh Historical - Cultural Relic Cluster; at the same time, thoroughly grasp and strictly implement Conclusion No. 01-KL/TW of the 13th Politburo on continuing to implement Directive No. 05-CT/TW of the 12th Politburo "On studying and following Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality, and lifestyle".

Second, innovate the content, form and methods of education and propaganda to promote the value of the Ba Dinh Historical - Cultural Relic Cluster in studying and following Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and style.

Agencies and units in the Ba Dinh Historical - Cultural Relic Complex are always looking for solutions to innovate the form, content and methods of propaganda. In addition to the form of direct explanation, it is necessary to regularly organize specialized talks on the life, career, ideology, morality and style of Ho Chi Minh at agencies, organizations, units, schools, etc. Proactively organize many exhibitions to celebrate major holidays of the year; coordinate with museums, relic sites, etc. to carry out specialized exhibitions to serve the people and international visitors. Coordinate with party committees, party cells, agencies, units, academies, schools, and mass organizations to organize many seminars, scientific discussions, political activities, traditional talks, performance reporting ceremonies, ceremonies to admit party members, association members, union members, and team members, emulation launching ceremonies, preliminary and final summaries of studying and following Uncle Ho, especially exchanging experiences in studying and following Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and style.

Focus on promoting the example of "good people, good deeds", good experiences, creative and effective ways of doing things... Thereby, making learning and following Uncle Ho's ideology, morality and style truly close to each subject, so that each person "can easily learn, easily follow" and "wants to learn, wants to follow". Regularly apply information technology to serve the people and international visitors who come to visit, study and participate in cultural and political activities in the area, to continuously improve the effectiveness of reception and propaganda work of the Ba Dinh Historical - Cultural Relic Complex.

Annually organize training courses to improve professional skills and methods for staff, employees and experts in charge of guiding, receiving and propagating the agencies and units in the Ba Dinh Historical - Cultural Relics Complex. At the same time, regularly promote the coordination of activities between the Ba Dinh Historical - Cultural Relics Complex and the museum systems and memorial sites of President Ho Chi Minh nationwide in propagating, educating and spreading his ideology, morality and style to the people of the whole country and international friends.

Third, continue to do a good job of collecting, maintaining, preserving, and supplementing documents, materials, and artifacts of the Ba Dinh Historical - Cultural Relic Complex to serve the people and international visitors who come to visit, study, and follow Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality, and style.

This is an important solution, ensuring the attractiveness for visitors when they come to research and study, contributing to education and propaganda about the life, background and career of President Ho Chi Minh in general; studying and following Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and style in particular. Therefore, the Ba Dinh Historical - Cultural Relic Complex needs to closely contact with central and local agencies, scientific researchers, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, especially the countries where Uncle Ho worked; organize to grasp, research, deploy forces to collect, restore, maintain and supplement documents and artifacts, meeting the requirements and tasks of visiting and studying of all classes of people and cadres and soldiers. Regularly manage the quantity and quality of artifacts and equipment of the Ba Dinh Historical - Cultural Relic Complex, organize registration, preservation and maintenance so that artifacts can be used for a long time, serving well the education, sightseeing and study for all classes of people and international visitors.

Fourth, organize the compilation, printing and publishing of publications on "Studying and following Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and lifestyle" with creative, concise, easy-to-understand, easy-to-remember and easy-to-implement content and measures .

The documents compiled and published by the units of the Ba Dinh Historical - Cultural Relics Cluster must be carefully selected, the content must highlight the noble ideological and humanistic values, acknowledge and praise the great contributions of President Ho Chi Minh in the cause of national liberation, for world peace and social progress. These are memories and stories that demonstrate comradeship, loyalty to the Party, the Government, and the deep relationship between Uncle Ho and all classes of people. From there, it contributes to further tightening the bond between the Party, Uncle Ho and the people, enhancing the comprehensive leadership capacity and fighting strength of Party committees and organizations to build political mettle, moral qualities, personality and culture for cadres, Party members and people. Closely combine the compilation of books, stories, magazines with the coordination of the production of documentaries, television series, video clips, music videos... about President Ho Chi Minh and reflect the tasks and activities of the units in the Monuments Complex. The content of the publication must have high theoretical and practical value, creating a widespread and attractive effect on the public. At the same time, it becomes one of the sharp tools of the Party on the ideological and cultural front, contributing to protecting the ideological foundation, fighting against erroneous and hostile views, and actively participating in preserving and promoting the quintessence of national culture.

Today, the country is facing opportunities and challenges, the world and regional situation continues to develop in a complex and unpredictable manner; hostile and reactionary forces are intensifying their sabotage against our Party and State. More than ever, promoting the value of the Ba Dinh Historical - Cultural Relic Complex in educating Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and lifestyle is of great significance in propagating and educating to raise political awareness, ideology, moral qualities and lifestyle for cadres, party members and the masses. Contributing to spreading Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and lifestyle widely throughout the Party, the people and the army; practically serving the human development strategy, building new socialist people and the cause of building and defending the Fatherland in the new situation.

Colonel PHAM VAN HIEU, Deputy Political Commissar of the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Protection Command