(BNP) – May 19 each year is a meaningful occasion for the Vietnamese people and many international friends. It marks the birthday of President Ho Chi Minh — the beloved leader of the Party and the nation, the great teacher of the Vietnamese revolution, a national liberation hero, a world cultural figure, and an exemplary communist fighter who devoted his entire life to the revolutionary cause of the Party and the Vietnamese people.
Uncle Ho with children in Ha Bac (Archival photo).
In 2026, the Vietnamese people commemorate the 136th anniversary of the birth of President Ho Chi Minh (May 19, 1890 – May 19, 2026). Not only was he an outstanding politician and a brilliant military strategist, President Ho Chi Minh was also a great cultural figure of both Vietnam and humanity as a whole.
The history of the Vietnamese revolution has affirmed that Ho Chi Minh Thought represents the crystallization of patriotism, the quintessence of human culture, and the creative application and development of Marxism–Leninism in accordance with the specific conditions of Vietnam. This ideology was forged through the nation’s arduous revolutionary struggle and the enduring aspiration for independence, freedom, and happiness for the people.
At a time when the country faced a crisis in its path to national salvation in the early 20th century, Nguyen Ai Quoc — later known as Ho Chi Minh — identified the correct path for national liberation: national independence associated with socialism. This marked a decisive historical turning point for the destiny of the Vietnamese nation. Under the guidance of Ho Chi Minh Thought and the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the Vietnamese people achieved the victory of the August Revolution in 1945, leading to the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and opening a new era of national independence and socialism.
Ho Chi Minh Thought not only led the Vietnamese nation to independence, but also guided the people through prolonged resistance wars against colonialism and imperialism, achieving national reunification and advancing the process of national renewal. His immortal truths, such as “Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom,” together with the ideology that “the people are the root” and the principle of harnessing the people’s talents, strength, and resources for their own benefit, continue to serve as the enduring ideological foundation of the Vietnamese revolution.
The enduring value of Ho Chi Minh's ideology lies, first and foremost, in its profound scientific, revolutionary, and humanistic nature. This ideology always focuses on the people, placing them at the center of all policies and guidelines. President Ho Chi Minh once affirmed: "Whatever benefits the people, we must do our utmost to do; whatever harms the people, we must do our utmost to avoid." This is not only the philosophy of action for every cadre and party member, but also the political and moral standard of a State of the people, by the people, and for the people.
In the process of national renewal, Ho Chi Minh Thought continues to be applied and creatively developed by our Party. From the Sixth Party Congress to the present, the renewal policy has led the country through crises and achieved great achievements of historical significance.
The practical experience of 40 years of renewal is vivid evidence affirming the enduring vitality of Ho Chi Minh Thought. It is also a resounding answer refuting all distorted arguments and denials of the role of Ho Chi Minh Thought in the Vietnamese revolution. Views claiming that Ho Chi Minh Thought is "outdated," "dogmatic," or "not in line with current realities" contradict historical truth and the country's development achievements.
In the context of globalization, digital transformation, strategic competition among major powers, and increasing non-traditional security challenges, Ho Chi Minh Thought further demonstrates its profound strategic guiding value. It is the thought of independence and self-reliance linked to international integration; Economic development must go hand in hand with ensuring social progress and equity; building a clean and strong Party; promoting the strength of national unity; and combining national strength with the strength of the times.
In particular, the aspiration for a prosperous, thriving, civilized, and happy country, as set forth by the 14th National Congress of the Party, is a continuation of Ho Chi Minh's thought on a Vietnam that is "more decent and more beautiful."
