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Hanoi Celebrations Commemorate
Hanoi Celebrations Commemorate The August Revolution and the 60th Anniversary of The Establishment of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Three important events were held in Hanoi during 31st August until 2nd September 2005 on the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of the August revolution and the establishment of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. on 2nd September 1945.
First: 31st August 2005
The international seminar convened on "Alleviation of poverty in Asia, Africa and Latin America: experiences and perspectives" AAPSO participated with the Vietnamese Committee for Solidarity and Cooperation in organizing this seminar.
The seminar was inaugurated and chaired by Mr. Pham Van Chuong, Head of the Vietnamese Solidarity and Cooperation Committee.
The inaugural speech was delivered by Mrs. Nguyen Thi Ben, former Vice - President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Vice-President of AAPSO and Head of the Vietnamese Peace and Development Foundation.
It included:
"Your presence is also lively expression of the consistent support and solidarity of peoples in Asia, Africa and Latin America, of the Afro-Asian Peoples¹ Solidarity Organization (AAPSO), the Organization for Solidarity with Peoples of Asia, Africa and Latin America (OSPAAL) and the World Peace Council (WPC) extended to Vietnamese people in the past and at the present.
"In Vietnam, efforts made by the government, people¹s organizations and people in the cause of poverty reduction have brought about optimistic results: in the past over 10 years (1993-2004), poverty rate dropped by more than a half. However, it is still high accounting for 25% of the total population, and poverty reduction speed is slowing down. The fear is that the rate in the countryside, especially in ethnic minority areas, mountainous areas, remains twice or 3 times as high as in cities, the poverty gap in the society is far from narrowing down, but widening."
The second speech was delivered by Dr. Fakhry Labib, Representative of AAPSO, followed by Mr. Alferedo Leon Alvarez, General Secretary of OSPAAL.
In the session on research papers the following were speakers: Dr. Hassan Ali (Malaysia, and member of AAPSO delegation), Mr. Padlo George (Angola, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and member of MPLA political bureau), Mr. Francois Hotar, (Director of Tricontinent Organization). The session was chaired by Dr. Fakhry Labib.
Interventions and comments were made which were as rich as the basic research documents in the two meetings. The first was chaired by Mr. Antonio Paris (Philippines, Head of the Philippine Council for Peace and Solidarity), and the second was chaired by Mr. Fam Van Chung (Vietnamese Solidarity and Cooperation Committee).
Second: 1st September 2005-10-20
All delegations visited, in the morning, the mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh, Leader of the Vietnamese socialist revolution.
This was followed by "The International Conference on Solidarity, Friendship and Cooperation with Vietnam" which was inaugurated by Mr. Vu Xuan Hong, Head of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations, and Secretary General of the Vietnamese Peace and Development Foundation. He said:
Comrades and Friends
"Over the past years, since the early days of the Vietnamese revolution, the Communist Party of Vietnam, President Ho Chi Minh and generations of our leaders that followed have always been attaching great importance to international solidarity and the combination of national strength with that of the times, turning the Vietnamese revolution into a significant part of the common cause of the world people. It is international solidarity, support and cooperation of the world people that has become an important factor contributing to the great victories of the Vietnamese revolution."
Speeches were delivered praising the heroic history of Vietnam that presented to the world an unprecedented model of resoluteness and persistence against the colonialists. It was a model that inspired millions. For Vietnam has given us much during its war and now it is incumbent upon us to settle our debt in its time of peace, by manifesting solidarity, friendship and cooperation.
Professor Haroub Othman (Tanzania) delivered a speech on behalf of AAPSO on this occasion.
The Secretary General of the Vietnamese Communist Party met all delegations in the evening in an atmosphere of friendship and modesty.
Third: 2nd September 2005
1 - The 60th Anniversary of the establishment of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. All delegations proceeded at 6 am to Padena square where the mausoleum of Ho Shi Minh is located and where parades celebrating the revolution take place. The parade commenced at 7 am in which immense military forces and civilians from diverse national Vietnamese components participated, marching with red flags and posters as well as pictures of Ho Shi Minh.
The ceremony was inaugurated with a speech delivered by the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, H.E. Mr. Tran Duc Luong.
It included:
"The August Revolution and the National Day, 2 September 1945 were the crucial event, which opened up a new era in the history of the Vietnamese.
Under the far-sighted leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President Ho Chi Minh, in August 1945, the entire Vietnamese people stood in the general uprising to seize power throughout the country. On 2 September 1945, at Ba Dinh Square, President Ho Chi Minh, in the Declaration of Independence, solemnly proclaimed the birth of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam."
He ended his speech by the slogans:
" - Long live the spirit of the August Revolution and the National Day!
- Long live the Socialist Republic of Vietnam!
- Long live the heroic Vietnamese people!
- President Ho Chi Minh live forever in our cause!"
2 - A celebration on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the establishment of the World Peace Council took place in the afternoon. It was inaugurated by Thanasis Pavlis (Greece), Secretary General of the World Peace Council. Dr. Fakhry Labib gave a speech on behalf of AAPSO on this occasion.
3 - In the evening, an official reception was hosted and invitations were limited. All leaderships in the Party and the State as well as officials and diplomatic corps were present.
Dr. Fakhry Labib was also invited to this reception as representative of AAPSO.
