The event drew the participation of Rogelio Polanco Fuentes, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Cuba to Viet Nam; leaders of Quang Tri Province and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; as well as a large number of local residents, officials, soldiers, and students.
Fidel Castro commands a towering presence in 20th-century world history. His life and revolutionary career were inextricably linked to the triumph of the Cuban Revolution, the struggle to safeguard Cuba’s independence and sovereignty, and the aspirations of peoples around the world for independence, freedom, peace, and justice.
For Viet Nam, Fidel Castro is revered not only as a leader of Cuba, but above all as a great friend and a steadfast comrade who bestowed profound affection and solidarity to Viet Nam during some of the country’s most difficult moments. His famous declaration, “For Viet Nam, Cuba is willing to shed its own blood,” has become an enduring symbol of solidarity between the two nations.
On September 15, 1973, just months after the Paris Peace Accords were signed and while the war was still raging, Fidel Castro emerged as the first and only foreign head of state to visit the liberated zone of southern Viet Nam in Quang Tri.
During the historic visit, he travelled to Hien Luong Bridge, Doc Mieu, Dong Ha, and Cam Lo, as well as the headquarters of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Viet Nam and Hill 241 in Tan Lam. There, he observed first-hand the devastation of war — villages destroyed by bombs, shattered bridges, and the immense losses endured by the Vietnamese people and armed forces.
In 2018, Quang Tri Province built and inaugurated Fidel Castro Park in central Dong Ha. It was the first park in Viet Nam to bear Fidel Castro’s name.
Speaking at the ceremony, Le Duc Tien, Vice Chairman of the Quang Tri Provincial People’s Committee, underscored that although Viet Nam and Cuba are half a world apart and diverge in geography, language, and historical circumstances, the two nations share aspirations for independence, a determination for self-determination, resilience, and a strong spirit of international solidarity.
The Vice Chairman asserted that the Party committee, authorities, and people of Quang Tri Province would continue to safeguard and nurture the legacy built by President Ho Chi Minh and President Fidel Castro. The province would also work closely with central agencies, the Cuban Embassy in Viet Nam, and Cuban partners to make Viet Nam–Cuba friendship increasingly substantive, effective, and profound.
Acknowledging the special affection that the people of Quang Tri in particular and Viet Nam as a whole have shown towards Fidel Castro, Ambassador Rogelio Polanco Fuentes expressed his profound gratitude for the respect and admiration of the Vietnamese people.
The Ambassador emphasised that Viet Nam and Cuba have always stood shoulder to shoulder through difficult times. Cuba remains steadfast in pursuing its path of national development, safeguarding independence and sovereignty, and improving the well-being of its people.
He noted that Viet Nam’s achievements in its Doi Moi (Renewal) process offer invaluable encouragement and experience for Cuba. Viet Nam’s goal of entering a new era of development and becoming a developed, high-income country also serves as a source of motivation and confidence for the Cuban people.
The ceremony served as a poignant occasion to remember and pay tribute to an outstanding Cuban revolutionary, a great friend and steadfast comrade of Viet Nam, while reaffirming the special, exemplary, and deeply fraternal relationship between the two countries — one of the most remarkable bonds in the history of international relations.
It also provided a platform to further amplify the enduring friendship between Viet Nam and Cuba, as well as the particularly profound affection of the people of Quang Tri for President Fidel Castro.
