Havana (VNA) – The Cuban Institute for Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP)and the Vietnamese Embassy in Cuba held a ceremony on September 17 to conclude aseries of activities across the country to mark 45 years since Fidel Castro’shistoric visit to Vietnam.

Head of the International Relations Commissionof the Cuban National Assembly Yolanda Ferrer, who is also President of theCuba-Vietnam Friendship Association, recalled the wholehearted fraternity ofthe Vietnamese people when they welcomed Fidel Castro during his visit fromSeptember 12 to 17, 1973.

With this trip, Fidel became the only foreignleader to visit the newly-liberated area in the south of Vietnam during theresistance war against the US, she said, adding that the thenCommander-in-Chief of Cuba showed his sincere admiration for the Vietnamesepeople, laying a new solid foundation for reinforcing bilateral relations.

Ferrer said in the past two weeks, chapters ofthe Cuba-Vietnam Friendship Association across the country held many activitiesto celebrate this milestone and reviewed the priceless lessons left by latePresident Ho Chi Minh and the Vietnamese people.

[Photos: Fidel Castro in South Vietnam liberated area]

Vietnamese Ambassador to Cuba Nguyen Trung Thanhappreciated the concrete and practical actions that the Cuban people and theICAP have taken to express and pass down the Vietnam-Cuba exemplary solidarityto future generations.

He said in the past, with the enormous supportfrom international friends, especially Cuba, Vietnam weathered all difficultiesto succeed in gaining independence and national reunification.

Nowadays, withtheir resolve to move ahead on the path to self-reliant development, the Cubanpeople will also overcome all challenges and groundless policies imposed byother countries to successfully build a prosperous and sustainable socialistCuba, Thanh stressed, affirming that the Vietnamese people will continuesupporting Cuba on this path.

Also on September 17, Thanh met with ICAPPresident Fernando Gonzalez Llort to discuss the two countries’ cooperation.

Earlier, the Organisation of Solidarity with thePeoples of Asia, Africa and Latin America (OSPAAAL) also held a meeting to lookback on Fidel’s visit to Vietnam 45 years ago.–VNA