Uncle Ho's adopted daughter shares about Vietnam's 'extraordinary resilience'

At the age of 80, Elisabeth Helfer Aubrac - the adopted daughter whom Uncle Ho affectionately called "Babette" - returned to Hanoi on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of National Day. Talking to Thoi Dai magazine reporters, she shared her memories of her godfather, the special friendship between President Ho Chi Minh and her father - Raymond Aubrac, and her strong belief in the future resilience of Vietnam.

- Returning to Vietnam on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of National Day, how do you feel about the atmosphere here?

- My first impression when I got off the plane was the same as always: emotional and felt like coming home. Immediately, I saw red flags with yellow stars flying everywhere, the streets were clean and brightly decorated. This reminded me of the atmosphere in France before every big event: people cleaned together, carefully prepared to welcome guests. As soon as I left my luggage at the hotel, I and two young girls went straight to the Hanoi Post Office . There, I felt the full festival atmosphere: rehearsals, singing, children playing in the joy of their parents. A truly vibrant and joyful atmosphere.

Mrs. Elisabeth Helfer Aubrac, Uncle Ho's adopted daughter. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

- In your childhood memories, which image of President Ho Chi Minh is most vivid? And how do you perceive the friendship between him and your father - Mr. Raymond Aubrac?

- President Ho Chi Minh lived in the house of my parents, who were active in the resistance movement. Since childhood, my siblings and I were imbued with the spirit of freedom, equality, and charity. To us, he was not only a godfather but also a member of the family.

As a little girl, I had absolutely no idea what the Indochina War was, and of course, no one could have predicted the war in Vietnam that would follow. But gradually, I came to realize that President Ho Chi Minh was an extraordinary figure, not only through the pictures but also because he was part of my family.

Although we no longer met in person, I still maintained the habit of writing New Year's greetings, and he, in one way or another, always sent me birthday greetings. Therefore, President Ho Chi Minh was not a stranger, but always present as a loved one. Gradually, I understood more about his stature as a leader, but his personality had many similarities with my father and my father's friends - who all came from the resistance movement - so it was not a shock to me to realize that. Everything was normal and within the natural flow of the family.

My father - Raymond Aubrac - was a humble man, who maintained his integrity and independence, and never used his fame to seek a position. He was absolutely trusted by President Ho Chi Minh, and that trust contributed to strengthening the French people's faith in him. The foundation of that relationship was trust and simplicity in character - common points between two outstanding men. My father also received the trust of French leaders, such as Prime Minister Mendès France during the period 1946-1954. Thanks to that, this special friendship contributed to creating important steps forward in the Vietnam - France relationship during a challenging historical period.

President Ho Chi Minh holding his adopted daughter Babette. (Photo: KT)

- What are your impressions of Vietnam's changes over the years?

- The first time I came to Vietnam was in 1987. At that time, Hanoi still had many bomb craters, the airport was old, there was no electricity or roads; people lived in great hardship, lacking everything. But what touched me was that everyone was working, from repairing bicycles to patching broken tools, sometimes a can of food, a radio... no one was sitting idle.

After that, I returned more than 10 times, and my husband went to Vietnam almost 4 times a year. I witnessed an amazing speed of development: the Vietnamese people held their heads high, rebuilding together. The traces of war gradually faded, except for the severe consequences of Agent Orange. Instead, there was an extraordinary resilience.

- In your opinion, how has the Vietnam-France friendship been nurtured over the past decades? What can help strengthen the bond between the two peoples?

- From a personal perspective, I think there were times when the relationship was not as expected. General Vo Nguyen Giap once told me: "I have never been to France because France did not invite me." That is proof of past hesitation.

However, France has made important contributions, especially after the Doi Moi, when helping Vietnam integrate internationally, joining international organizations, and supporting in the field of science and technology. I believe that the relationship between the two countries can develop even more strongly, especially within the framework of the European Union. The field of education and training is an example, because currently the French language in Vietnam is still limited. It is necessary to further promote the close relationship between the young generation of Vietnam and France.

A typical example is the French-Vietnamese Center for Management Training (CFVG). For more than 30 years, the Center has trained many generations of masters in economics, finance, and administration. Vietnamese students study in English, then continue the joint program at Sorbonne University (France). Although French is not used, this model still creates a strong bridge between the youth of the two countries. I believe that such open forms of cooperation should be expanded, both in medicine and many other fields, so that the younger generation has more opportunities to connect and develop together.

- On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of Vietnam's National Day, what message do you want to send to the Vietnamese people?

For a country, 80 years is very, very young - it is just the start of strong progress. For a woman, 80 years old is not necessarily the beginning of a big breakthrough. But at my age, the hope is to see, or rather to know: if this country continues on the current open and creative path, and at the same time cares more about the environment, then when witnessing the elegance, courage and kindness of the Vietnamese people, an 80-year-old woman will be able to think: "This country has a wonderful future".

Thank you very much!

Source: https://thoidai.com.vn/con-gai-nuoi-cua-bac-ho-chia-se-ve-suc-bat-phi-thuong-cua-viet-nam-216013.html