A special art programme was held in Ho Chi Minh City on June 5 to mark the 132^nd birthday of President Ho Chi Minh (May 19, 1890-2022) and 111 years since the late leader left the country to seek the way for national salvation (June 5, 1911-2022).

The programme, themed “Proud to be named after Uncle Ho”, featured 18 performance items in two parts, honouring the nation's great leader who devoted his whole life for the cause of national independence and freedom, and highlighting the city’s efforts to promote Ho Chi Minh's thought and secure its role as a leading economic, cultural, science-technology hub of the country.

Particularly, the establishment of the Ho Chi Minh Cultural Space was a unique decision of the municipal Party Organisation based on the people’s demand to express their sentiments to President Ho Chi Minh, thus contributing to popularising President Ho Chi Minh’s thought, morality and lifestyle.

On June 5, 1911, from Nha Rong Wharf of Sai Gon, now HCM City, Ho Chi Minh, known in those days as Nguyen Tat Thanh, boarded ship Admiral Latouche Treville, beginning his journey to seek ways for national salvation.

Thirty years later, he returned to Vietnam to lead the Vietnamese revolution which successfully conducted the August Revolution in 1945 and founded the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

The programme drew famous artists including Que Tran, Vo Minh Lam, Ngoc Mai, Dao Mac, Duyen Huyen, Thanh Nguyen, The Vy, Thu Thuy, Thuy Trinh and Manh Cuong./.