Hanoi, Cuba localities strengthen decentralized cooperation

The visit paid to Cuba by Chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee in Hanoi to Cuba has expressed the city’s aspiration to strengthen relations with Cuba’s localities. 

The Hanoi delegation led by Chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee in Hanoi Nguyen Lan Huong visits the Ho Chi Minh Monument in Havana.

As part of the visit, Nguyen Lan Huong-led delegation offered incense to the Ho Chi Minh Monument at the Ho Chi Minh Park in Habana to pay tribute to the leader who founded the long-lasting relations with Cuba.

The delegation was told about the history of the monument which both carries out historical values and symbolizes Vietnam-Cuba friendship.

Enhancing decentralized relations

During the visit to the Embassy of Vietnam in Cuba, Nguyen Lan Huong said Hanoi and Cuba’s localities have boosted relations via high-ranking visits and information exchange which are good for future cooperation.

She highlighted that Cuba and Hanoi have regularly exchanged delegations at various levels over the past years. In June 2023, the Hanoi Party Committee and the Havana Party Committee signed a Cooperation Agreement for the 2023-2028 period during a visit paid to Hanoi by Havana’s high-ranking delegation.

Following this Cooperation Agreement, agencies and units in Hanoi have been promoting collaboration with counterparts in Havana. At the same time, the Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Association in Hanoi continues to maintain close relations with the Cuban Embassy in Hanoi.

On behalf of the delegation, the chairman of the Hanoi Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee expressed appreciation for the Embassy's support and coordination. She hoped that the Vietnamese Embassy in Cuba would promote the image of Hanoi and strengthen relations between Hanoi and Cuban localities, especially in 2025, when Vietnam and Cuba will celebrate the 65th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations (1960-2025). 

The Hanoi officials and Vietnamese Ambassador to Cuba Le Quang Long.

Symbol of friendship

The President Ho Chi Minh statue, designed by architect Joel Diaz, Vice President of the Cuba-Vietnam Friendship Association, was unveiled in 2003. It rests on a 54-square meter red marble base, symbolizing Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups. A golden five-pointed star made of flowers sits at the center of the base, representing the Vietnamese flag. The statue’s simple, unadorned white marble pedestal reflects President Ho’s “life of purity without extravagance.”

Above the statue, four red-painted steel beams form a protective frame against the park’s greenery, coming together in the shape of a traditional Vietnamese conical hat. Three of these beams represent the predecessor organizations of the Communist Party of Vietnam—the Indochinese Communist Party, the Annamese Communist Party, and the Indochinese Communist League while the fourth stands for the Communist International.

The convergence of the beams at the top of the monument celebrates President Ho Chi Minh’s role in uniting revolutionary movements toward national liberation. A dense bamboo grove behind the statue adds a distinctly Vietnamese element, while tall trees in the background evoke the mountainous Viet Bac and Dien Bien Phu regions, where President Ho lived and led the revolution.

This area is beloved by those who admire Vietnam. Locals, from elders to children, are familiar with the shade provided by the trees surrounding President Ho Chi Minh’s statue, a powerful symbol of the enduring and exemplary friendship between Vietnam and Cuba.

During their working visit, the delegation visited the Vietnamese Embassy in Cuba, where they were received by Vietnamese Ambassador to Cuba Le Quang Long.

The ambassador noted that while the Vietnamese community in Cuba is small, it has made notable achievements recognized by the Cuban Party and government. Initial investments by Vietnamese enterprises and Hanoi have been reported in several Cuban industries, including building materials production. Meanwhile, Vietnamese students in Cuba, mainly on government scholarships, have also achieved outstanding academic success.

At the meeting, the Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Hanoi conveyed greetings to embassy staff and Vietnamese nationals living, studying, and working in Cuba.