Phú Thọ, September 19, 2026 – The Europe Today: General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee and President Tô Lâm attended a ceremony at the Hùng Kings Temple Special National Historical Site in Phú Thọ Province on Saturday to mark the 72nd anniversary of President Hồ Chí Minh’s visit to the site and inaugurate the statue “Uncle Hồ and the National Festival.”
The ceremony was jointly organised by the Phú Thọ Provincial Party Committee, People’s Council, People’s Committee and Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee, together with the Ministry of Public Security.
Addressing the event, General Secretary and President Tô Lâm recalled President Hồ Chí Minh’s historic words at Giếng Temple on September 19, 1954, when he told soldiers heading to take over Hà Nội: “The Hùng Kings founded the nation; we must together protect it.”
He said the message serves as a reminder to every generation of Vietnamese people of their responsibility to preserve the legacy of their ancestors and contribute to building an increasingly prosperous country. The achievements of previous generations, he added, must be carried forward through the efforts of people today so that future generations can live in peace and enjoy better opportunities for development.
President Tô Lâm said the “Uncle Hồ and the National Festival” statue reflects the profound affection of the Vietnamese people for President Hồ Chí Minh. Together with a relief depicting Hồ Chí Minh speaking to officers and soldiers of the Vanguard Brigade, the statue is expected to help younger generations better understand his teachings and strengthen their sense of responsibility toward the nation.
The Vietnamese leader affirmed that, under the leadership of the Communist Party of Việt Nam and following the path laid out by President Hồ Chí Minh, the Vietnamese people had achieved national independence and reunification and continued advancing toward socialism.
He noted that after four decades of Đổi mới (Renewal), Việt Nam had recorded major achievements of historical significance, expressing appreciation for the contributions of people and armed forces across the country, Vietnamese communities abroad and international friends.
“These achievements provide a firm foundation for the country to continue moving forward,” he said.
President Tô Lâm stressed the need to resolutely and consistently safeguard national independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, as well as the Party, State, people and socialist system. He called for proactively protecting the country from an early stage and from afar, while building a strong people-based national defence and people’s security posture rooted in the support of the population.
He emphasised that national defence capabilities must be underpinned by economic strength, scientific and technological capacity and the determination to unite the entire nation.
Referring to Việt Nam’s development targets, he said achieving the goals of becoming a developing country with modern industry and upper-middle income by 2030 and a high-income developed country by 2045 requires decisive action beginning today.
He stressed that economic development must go hand in hand with improving living standards, protecting the environment and preserving national cultural identity, describing national development as a responsibility toward those who sacrificed for the country and toward future generations.
President Tô Lâm further emphasised that building and safeguarding the country is the shared responsibility of all Vietnamese people, both at home and abroad. National solidarity and a shared sense of destiny, he said, should be strengthened through trust, mutual support and opportunities for everyone to contribute to national development.
He also called for the effective implementation of the Politburo’s Resolution No. 80-NQ/TW on developing Vietnamese culture, with efforts focused on fostering people, preserving cultural heritage and ensuring that positive cultural values become deeply embedded in everyday life.
Regarding the newly inaugurated statue, the General Secretary and President said it should serve as a venue for historical education and for fostering civic responsibility and love for the nation.
He asked Phú Thọ Province to coordinate with the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and relevant agencies to ensure the long-term, scientific management and protection of the statue, while preserving the solemnity, landscape and original values of the historical site.
He also called for the application of technology to enable Vietnamese people living far from the site, as well as international visitors and friends, to access information about the country’s history and culture.
President Tô Lâm stressed that safeguarding the ancestral land of the Vietnamese nation is a shared responsibility of the entire country, calling on central agencies to coordinate with and support Phú Thọ Province in fulfilling this responsibility.
Phạm Đại Dương, Secretary of the Party Committee of Phú Thọ Province and head of the provincial National Assembly delegation, expressed full support for the assessments, guidance and sentiments conveyed by General Secretary and President Tô Lâm.
He affirmed that Phú Thọ would promptly translate the guidance into concrete programmes, actions and tasks.
During the ceremony, General Secretary and President Tô Lâm and other delegates cut the ribbon to inaugurate the “Uncle Hồ and the National Festival” statue at the Hùng Kings Temple Special National Historical Site, which commemorates President Hồ Chí Minh’s two visits to the site and preserves his profound teachings.
Presented to Phú Thọ Province by the Ministry of Public Security, the bronze statue stands 7.5 metres tall.
