President Ho Chi Minh is a symbol of the struggle of small nations against colonialism and imperialist aggression.

According to the Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Africa, that was the affirmation in the presentation "President Ho Chi Minh and the history of Vietnam's relations with African countries, especially Morocco" by Professor Abdallah Saaf, Director of the Center for Social Science Research at the workshop entitled "President Ho Chi Minh and the national liberation movement in Africa, Vietnam-Morocco relations" organized by the Central Propaganda Department in coordination with the Vietnamese Embassy in Morocco and the High Commission for Former Resistance War Veterans and Former Members of the Moroccan Liberation Army in the Moroccan capital Rabat on May 31.

In his speech, Professor Saaf affirmed: "President Ho Chi Minh realized that only the strength of national solidarity combined with international solidarity could create the necessary combined strength for the success of the Vietnamese revolution."

Professor Saaf's speech attracted the attention of scholars and delegates attending the Conference with profound analysis of the Dien Bien Phu victory and the effects of the victory under the leadership of President Ho Chi Minh, along with contents such as President Ho Chi Minh's participation in the struggle of colonial peoples; President Ho Chi Minh at the center of the relationship between Morocco and Vietnam; President Ho Chi Minh's struggle for national liberation and the fight against racism; the harmonious relationship between patriotism and internationalism in Ho Chi Minh's thought and the continuity of Ho Chi Minh's thoughts in today's era.

Professor Saaf affirmed that the struggles of the Vietnamese people under the leadership of President Ho Chi Minh contributed greatly to the national liberation movements in the 20th century in many countries.

In addition to providing political support and demonstrating solidarity in struggles for self-determination and national independence around the world, Vietnam also supported many liberation forces in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America by sharing experiences and training leaders.

Meanwhile, sharing some of Vietnam's experiences in studying and following the ideology, morality and style of President Ho Chi Minh with Moroccan friends, Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda Department Phan Xuan Thuy said: "Studying and following the ideology, morality and style of Ho Chi Minh has always been given special importance by the Communist Party of Vietnam, and is increasingly becoming a regular practice in the political system and the whole society."

According to the Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda Department, Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and style have permeated life, become daily thinking and living habits, and are the guiding principles for all actions of the Party and the Vietnamese people.

Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda Department Phan Xuan Thuy said he wanted to spread the study and following of President Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and style to international friends with sincere feelings and practical actions.

With the historic victory of Dien Bien Phu "famous throughout the five continents, shaking the world" exactly 70 years ago, Vietnam-Ho Chi Minh has become the symbol of the flag of national liberation.

The Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda Department said: “Along with Vietnam, a series of colonial peoples around the world and countries in Africa from Algeria to Morocco, from Congo to Nigeria rose up to drive out colonial and imperialist domination, gain independence and freedom, and collapse old colonialism around the world.”

At the conference, Mr. Mustapha El Ktiri, High Commissioner of Former Resistance and Former Member of the Moroccan Liberation Army, praised the greatness of President Ho Chi Minh through the world-famous Dien Bien Phu victory of the Vietnamese people.

In his speech entitled “The Dien Bien Phu Victory, a Pioneering Event for Liberation Movements in Africa,” High Commissioner Ktiri stated: “It cannot be denied that the victory under the leadership of President Ho Chi Minh had a positive influence on the national liberation movements in Africa, marking the beginning of the liberation from Western colonial oppression, regardless of skin color, and kindling strong hope for oppressed peoples who had suffered injustice, domination and cruelty.”

High Commissioner Ktiri affirmed: “The 70th Anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory is an appropriate occasion to honor and commemorate the warriors of nations that love freedom, justice and dignity.”

Based on the history of good and long-standing traditional relations and cooperation between the two countries, Mr. El Houcine Fardani, former Ambassador of Morocco to Vietnam, affirmed at the Workshop that Vietnam and Morocco are both looking towards the future of better relations between the two countries with confidence and optimism.

Mr. Fardani recommended that both sides need to identify potential areas to orient specific and highly feasible cooperation projects, based on taking into account the real economic potential of both countries and the means and methods of implementation.

In his concluding remarks at the workshop, Mr. Nguyen Trong Nghia, Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Head of the Central Propaganda Department, affirmed that the event was very meaningful as it took place on the occasion of the 134th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's birthday and the 70th anniversary of the historic Dien Bien Phu victory.

Mr. Nguyen Trong Nghia emphasized: “Through your stories, we are more deeply aware of the great contributions of President Ho Chi Minh for the cause of national liberation of Vietnam, Morocco and the oppressed peoples of the world.”

According to the Head of the Central Propaganda Department, in the presentations at the conference, “Ho Chi Minh” and “Dien Bien Phu” not only resounded with sincere sentiments but also as a meaningful revolutionary movement and motivation that connected oppressed peoples to rise up and fight together.

Mr. Nguyen Trong Nghia emphasized: “Looking back at the national liberation cause of Vietnam and Morocco, we cherish even more the friendly relationship between the two countries, the foundation of which was laid by the great President Ho Chi Minh.”

Reviewing the diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Morocco, which were officially established in March 1961, the Head of the Central Propaganda Department said that the relationship between the people of the two countries was formed right from the resistance war against French colonialism in the early 1950s.

He said: “We still remember that in 1950, many Moroccan youths were forced to join the army and go to the battlefield in Vietnam. They came from poor backgrounds in society and had to go to Vietnam to earn a living for themselves and their families. When the Moroccan soldiers arrived in Vietnam, the war for national independence broke out in Morocco. During their time in Vietnam, the country, the people and the just struggle of the Vietnamese people under the leadership of President Ho Chi Minh inspired the Moroccan soldiers. Most of them voluntarily surrendered or joined the Viet Minh army, fighting for justice with the Vietnamese people to defend the Fatherland.”

The Head of the Central Propaganda Department said that the two projects of the Morocco Gate in Vietnam and the Vietnam Gate in Morocco are symbols of the friendship and common values ​​of the two countries, and emphasized: "History is the luggage, the important bridge connecting the two peoples of Vietnam and Morocco, towards the prospects and bright future of bilateral cooperation in all fields."

The workshop on President Ho Chi Minh was co-organized by the Central Propaganda Department, the Vietnamese Embassy in Morocco and the Moroccan High Commission for Former Resistance War Veterans and Former Members of the Moroccan Liberation Army within the framework of the visit and working session in Morocco by the delegation of the Communist Party of Vietnam. The workshop attracted the participation of many researchers, scholars on Vietnam in Morocco, friends and the Vietnamese community in Morocco./.