(VOVWORLD) - In his home in Thu Duc city, a subdivision of Ho Chi Minh City, 70-year-old war veteran Lam Xuan Quang reserves 300 square meters as a Ho Chi Minh Cultural Space. This project was a dream he nurtured for nearly half a century. Admission is free to both domestic and foreign visitors, allowing them to explore and learn about the life of President Ho Chi Minh.
 Veteran Lam Xuan Quang introduces items about President Ho Chi Minh at his home. (Photo: Thuan Van/plo.vn) |
Lam Xuan Quang joined the army at the age of 14 and spent five years fighting on the southeastern battlefield. In 1972, he and many other young soldiers marched up the Truong Son Trail to northern Vietnam for further study.
"In the spring of 1969, while I was on the eastern battlefield, I heard President Ho Chi Minh deliver his New Year wishes with a poem. His voice was powerful and warm, inspiring me with even greater belief in his ideals and in the cause of national liberation. That belief compelled me to create a space that honors the beloved President,” said Quang.
The pictures and documents in Quang’s Ho Chi Minh space were collected from various sources. The most striking items are pictures of the Truong Son Trail and a tank crashing through the side gate of the Independence Palace at noon on April 30, 1975.
"As you enter the space, you’ll see a globe marking President Ho Chi Minh’s journey for national salvation through 30 to 40 countries. Here are Pac Bo Cave, the Lenin Stream, Mount Karl Marx, the Dien Hong Congress of 1945, and the typewriter and the radio used by President Ho Chi Minh,” said Quang. “At the center are models of North and South Vietnam, with rivers, docks, and boats symbolizing the southern people's warm welcome to President Ho Chi Minh upon national reunification."
In 2018, after 50 years of gathering materials, Quang renovated his home and dedicated an entire floor to his little museum. Whenever he heard about documents or other items related to President Ho – on the radio, on TV, or in a newspaper – he made a note and sought them out.
"I spent 50 years developing my idea, and six months in 2018 bringing it to life. I collected materials from many places for many years. Whenever I found something relevant, I would buy it or ask for it. I collected all the documents and materials to create this space," said Quang.
Quang considers every teaching of President Ho a star guiding his life. He wrote down the Ho Chi Minh quotes he collected on reused calendar paper.
“Ho Chi Minh traveled around the world for national salvation. I believe knowledge is essential for any struggle. That’s why I strive to learn more about him. We read a lot to enrich our knowledge,” Quang said, adding he has many documents, including documents from the United Nations, about President Ho Chi Minh.
“There are two lines from the Tale of Kieu that Ho Chi Minh cited: ‘Of all life’s bitter things/None is worse than losing freedom.’ Regarding the Statue of Liberty, a gift from France to the US, President Ho Chi Minh said, ‘beneath the statue, Black people remain enslaved. When will women truly be equal to men? When will nations cease waging war against one another?’ His ideology wasn’t just about liberating Vietnam—it was about liberating humanity," said Quang.
 Lam Xuan Quang’s Ho Chi Minh Cultural Space attracts many visitors (Photo courtesy of Lam Xuan Quang) |
Unlike many private museums that are only open on special occasions, Quang’s Ho Chi Minh Cultural Space opens every day. He serves as the tour guide, introducing the exhibits and telling stories about them.
"I came with my parents and their friends, who are war veterans. I was very moved. Mr. Quang must be very dedicated to such a space, which helps young people like me better understand President Ho Chi Minh and the national struggle for independence,” Hoang Anh Ngoc of Ho Chi Minh City said after visiting the space.
Now 70, Quang dreams of creating a 4D Ho Chi Minh Cultural Space, using modern technology to more vividly recreate the President’s life and work and give visitors an immersive way to learn about him.