Because the friendship between Cuba and Vietnam is an example of how mutual admiration and affection can unite two nations; because, as Army General Raul Castro Ruz once said, the ties that unite the two countries have passed “the test of time”; this Wednesday night took place, from the Palace of the Revolution, the ceremony for the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam.
From the Portocarrero Hall, the commemoration, which remembered February 3, 1930 -when the unforgettable Ho Chi Minh founded the Communist Party of Vietnam- was presided over by the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, as well as by the members of the Political Bureau Esteban Lazo Hernández, president of the National Assembly of People's Power and the Council of State; Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz; and the Secretary of Organization of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, Roberto Morales Ojeda.
The event was also attended by His Excellency Mr. Le Quang Long, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in Cuba; as well as other members of the Political Bureau, the Secretariat of the Central Committee, and other leaders of the Party, the National Assembly, the Government, the Young Communist League, the mass organizations, the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP), ministers, and other guests.
Other officials of the Vietnamese Embassy in Cuba, students and representatives of Vietnamese companies based in the largest of the Antilles, and other representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited in Havana also attended the event.
His Excellency Mr. Le Quang Long was in charge of the words on behalf of the brotherly Asian country. He spoke of feeling honored and proud to be at the Palace of the Revolution to celebrate the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam. He described the ceremony as “an important event to review the heroic history of the Communist Party”, and to honor the great contributions of that political organization to the cause of the Vietnamese Revolution.
The friend of Cuba expressed that the event was a sign of the solidarity, friendship and loyalty between the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Communist Party of Cuba, as well as the special and fraternal relationship between the two nations.
The founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam under the leadership of President Ho Chi Minh meant, said the diplomat, “a great turning point” that opened a new period in the path of national development.
The Vietnamese Revolution,” Le Quang Long reflected,” showed that the correct and wise leadership of the Party is the main factor in determining all the achievements of that Revolution. The political organization, he said, has always tried to innovate, to self-correct, to strengthen the conscience, wisdom and honor of the people.
In another moment of his words, the Ambassador expressed: “In these 95 years we have faced challenges, but also achievements. We have always appreciated the solidarity, support and valuable help of fraternal communist parties, including the Communist Party of Cuba: brother, friend, comrade who supported and helped Vietnam in the most difficult moments”.
On behalf of Cuba, the member of the Political Bureau, Roberto Morales Ojeda, said from the Portocarrero Hall: “Today we gather to celebrate a transcendental milestone in the history of the struggle for justice, freedom and sovereignty of the peoples: the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam”.
The party leader recalled that the foundation of this organization “constituted a historic turning point for the struggle of the working class-peasants, the history of the Vietnamese National Movement, and the grouping of national and democratic forces”.
The Communist Party of Vietnam, Morales Ojeda also said, “was the driving force behind profound economic transformations with the Renewal process initiated in 1986, which has turned that brotherly country into one of the most dynamic economies in the world.
And further on, he affirmed: “Since the triumph of the Cuban Revolution, led by Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz, our peoples have built an unbreakable friendship, based on mutual respect, cooperation and support in the most difficult moments. Fidel summed it up, in his speech on January 2, 1966, with a phrase that remained engraved in the memory of both nations: “For Vietnam, we are ready to give even our own blood”.
At the end of his speech, the Secretary of Organization of the Central Committee of the Party stated: “I take advantage of this moment of enormous symbolism to reiterate to our Vietnamese brothers, on behalf of the Cuban people, Party and Government, our deepest gratitude for the solidarity shown in difficult times and their support for the struggle against the blockade and its effects”.
He also stressed: “May the example of Vietnam and Cuba, and the guidance of their Parties, inspire new generations to fight for a more just, equitable and humane world.
The evening's celebration ended with music, that universal language that can bring human beings so close to each other: the outstanding Cuban concert pianist and professor Janio Abreu interpreted a traditional Vietnamese melody, and then the rhythm of the Almendra danzón was heard, as if to remind us that -although geographically distant and with different customs- Cuba and Vietnam are strongly united by a brotherhood that has overcome and will continue to overcome the challenges of time.
