Exhibition introduces President Hồ Chí Minh’s signatures, autographs

A collection of President Hồ Chí Minh's signatures in the 1945-1969 period is being displayed at the exhibition. Photo toquoc.vn

HÀ NỘI — A collection of signatures and autographs of late President Hồ Chí Minh in the 1945-1969 period is being displayed at the Presidential Palace in Hà Nội on the occasion of the late leader’s 133rd birthday (May 19, 1890-2023).

According to Đỗ Hoàng Linh, Deputy Director in charge of the President Hồ Chí Minh relic site at the Presidential Palace, the exhibition presents more than 200 original orders and decrees, selected from more than 1,400 archived documents with signatures, and nearly 80 file photos illustrating the historical period from 1945 to 1969, during which President Hồ Chí Minh served as the head of State.

The exhibition is divided into two parts. The first includes photos and documents from the 1945-1954 period when President Hồ Chí Minh founded the Democratic Republic of Việt Nam, built the people's administration system, pursued diplomatic solutions to protect revolutionary achievements, and led the long-term resistance war against French colonialists (1945-1954). Meanwhile, the second introduces photos and documents from the 1954-1969 period when he led the process of building socialism and protecting the north, and at the same time conducting the national liberation revolution in the south, and expanding diplomatic relations to mobilise support and help of the international community.

Đặng Thanh Tùng, Director of the State Archives and Records Department, noted that the exhibition is an important activity to promote and enhance the value of the archival materials about President Hồ Chí Minh.

“Many decrees with handwritten signatures of President Hồ Chí Minh showcased this time are evidence of his ingenious and wise leadership role in the early years of building the administration, and during the resistance war to safeguard national independence such as the President's appeal for national resistance on December 19, 1946, and his writings calling for national patriotic emulation in 1948.

"As a unit responsible for managing the valuable documents and materials of the country and about President Hồ Chí Minh, the State Archives and Records Department are proud to exhibit the most precious documents - National Treasures and representative materials - in a solemn exhibition space, which is also the workplace and the place where many important orders and directives were issued by the President himself.

“I hope there will be more cooperative programmes to introduce and promote the archival materials about President Hồ Chí Minh to the public," the director said.

Visitors see the exhibited photos and documents. — VNA/VNS Photo Phương Lan

Along with the opening of the exhibition, the organisers also held a ceremony to issue a stamp collection named Uncle Hồ’s Stilt House in the Presidential Palace.

Designed by artist Lê Khánh Vương, the collection includes a 43 x 32mm stamp and a 70 x 100mm block with face values of VNĐ4,000 (US$0.17) and VNĐ15,000 respectively.

Stamp collection named Uncle Hồ’s Stilt House in the Presidential Palace is issued on the occasion of the late leader's 133rd birthday (May 19, 1890 - 2023). — Photo dangcongsan.vn

The stamp shows the image of President Hồ Chí Minh working in a small room in the stilt house, while the block features the entire stilt house and outlines the scene of the garden and fish pond around the house. The stamp set has highlighted the elegant architectural features and simple decoration of the stilt house, which is a unique piece of architecture in harmony with nature.

The latest collection will be available on the postal network from May 17, 2023, to December 31, 2024.

Speaking at the event, the Director of the Postal Department under the Ministry of Information and Communications, Lã Hoàng Trung said that President Hồ Chí Minh’s stilt house at the Presidential Palace is an invaluable spiritual heritage, an icon for the ideology, morality, and revolutionary qualities of the President who had wholeheartedly worked for the national revolutionary cause, for the happiness of the people, the friendship, peace and progress of mankind.