UNCLE HỒ AND CULTURAL HERITAGE: “PRESERVING FOLKLORE IS NECESSARY FOR THE NATION'S DEVELOPMENT.”
President Hồ Chí Minh, the great leader of the nation, was someone who always cared about and emphasized the role of education in the prosperity of the country. He constantly reminded us, "For the sake of ten years’ benefit, we must plant trees; for the sake of a hundred years’ benefit, we must cultivate people." At the same time, Uncle Ho always had a deep concern for the preservation and promotion of the national cultural heritage. He believed that the cultural heritage of the nation is a precious asset and a foundation for the cultural development of a country.
As early as 1945, after the success of the August Revolution, with the country facing numerous difficulties and external enemies in the background, Uncle Hồ, in his temporary position as the Chairman of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, attached great importance to the cultural heritage of the nation and showed special attention to the preservation of relics and folklore. On November 23, 1945, President Ho Chi Minh signed Decree 65/SL affirming, "Preserving folklore is necessary for the nation's development" and explicitly stating, "it is strictly prohibited to destroy temples, pagodas, or any places of worship, palaces, citadels, and tombs that have not been preserved. Destroying inscriptions, objects, proclamations, diplomas, official documents, and books, whether they have religious significance or not, and whether they are useful for history or not, but have not been preserved, is also prohibited."
He not only emphasized the role of cultural heritage for the country, but also frequently visited historical and cultural sites. Uncle Hồ particularly held great respect and admiration for Văn Miếu - Quốc Tử Giám - the First University of Vietnam. As the State President, he visited Văn Miếu - Quốc Tử Giám three times (in 1945, 1960, and 1962), symbolizing Vietnamese education and the noble traditions of the nation: respect for teachers and moral principles, a spirit of learning, and reverence for the wise and talented.
On the occasion of the 133rd anniversary of Uncle Ho's birthday (19/5/1890-19/5/2023), we respectfully present the images of Uncle Ho at Văn Miếu - Quốc Tử Giám to commemorate the extraordinary genius leader of our country.
LH
