(VOVworld) – The past 30-year renewal has enabled Vietnam to escape poverty and backwardness and become a dynamic, middle-income country. An exhibition entitled “Renewal – A journey of dreams” reveals how renewal has changed Vietnam.

In a 200-square-meter exhibition hall at the National Museum of Vietnamese History, the renewal spirit is being revived through documents, objects, and recordings.  Pham Thi Mai Thuy, Head of the museum’s Education and Public Relations Department, said the idea of holding an exhibition like this began in 2015 and received advice from Prof. Graeme Were, a lecturer at Queensland University, Australia. Thuy said: “No exhibition can adequately reflect the achievements of 30 years of renewal. We target those who are over 40 years old, lived through the subsidy period, and witnessed Vietnam’s transition to the renewal period. We also target young people who were born during the renewal process.”

An exhibited photo

One of the two main themes of the exhibition is “Renewal for advancement”. Former Party General Secretary Nguyen Van Linh said “We must save ourselves before God can save us.” In the exhibition, Linh is shown visiting rice fields with farmers, leading the fast-paced reform which involved the joint efforts of the leaders and people. Another theme is “Renewal, integration, growth, and strength.” Thuy said reform and integration has made the Vietnamese people more dynamic and has opened more opportunities for Vietnam’s development: “Renewal changed Vietnam and improved the Vietnamese quality of life from healthcare to education and culture. This has empowered Vietnam to achieve its goal of becoming a prosperous people, and strong, fair, democratic, and civilized country.”

The majority of exhibited items were donated by individuals. Nguyen Thi Dinh, a museum employee, said: “Being part of the research team has taught me more about renewal. In interviews, politicians and ordinary people revealed their personal feelings about that period. I will always remember the merits of the pathfinders of our nation. We owe our lives today to their daring ideas and actions.”

There is a special space at the museum where visitors can share their memories and answer the question “How has renewal changed your life?”

The exhibition “Renewal – A journey of dreams” will run until the end of this year at the National Museum of Vietnamese History in Hanoi.