Sen Village, May rendezvous

More than a century has passed, but the thatched roofs and bamboo shade of the village are still there. His image is still there with his homeland and country. In the hearts of every Vietnamese, Uncle Ho's hometown is not only a place name but a sacred place to return to, to hear stories about his childhood.

Lotus Village in the May sunshine

Since the beginning of May, groups of people from the north to the south, overseas Vietnamese and international visitors have begun their journey back to Uncle Ho's hometown Sen village. In the harsh sunlight of the central region, white hats bobbed up and down following the crowd through the small village path shaded by bamboo. There were old men with white hair leaning on their canes, walking slowly but with bright eyes. There were groups of young men in green shirts, full of enthusiasm. There were even children who did not yet fully understand the meaning of the trip, but their tiny hands still held tightly onto their parents' hands, quietly following behind. Coincidentally, all returned here with a heart full of memories of Uncle Ho.

In that crowd, Mrs. Mai Thi Le, 72 years old, from Quang Nam, tightly held her grandson's hand, her eyes filled with tears as she said: "I promised myself that as long as I am still healthy, I will still visit Uncle Ho's hometown in May. Not only to remember Uncle Ho, but also to let my children and grandchildren know how respected our Vietnamese people are. Through that, I willeducate my children and grandchildren to strive in their studies and become useful people for society in the future."

The thatched roof nestled under the areca trees still retains its appearance from a hundred years ago. There are still hammocks, looms, mats, etc. Each artifact, each row of trees seems to whisper stories about a difficult time but full of love, a place attached to Him in his childhood. Many visitors entering this space are silent. All listen attentively to the tour guide introducing the artifacts.

Mr. Hoang Van Du, 77 years old, from Binh Dinh, wiped away his tears and said: “I was born in a difficult period for the country, and I have heard stories about Uncle Ho all my life. Now standing right at the place associated with his childhood, I feel like I have completed a lifetime.”

In the stream of emotions, Ms. Vu Thi Huong, a tourist from Hanoi , could not hide her emotions: “I have read many books about Uncle Ho, but when I entered this thatched house, saw the simple hammock, and heard stories about Uncle Ho, my heart was choked up. I felt so sorry for Uncle Ho that I cried… I promised myself that I would try my best to work hard, to contribute my small efforts to build my homeland and country to become more and more beautiful.”

Standing under the old bamboo canopy, through the voice of narrator Nguyen Thi Thanh in an emotional voice, his childhood appears vividly and realistically.

Ms. Thanh confided: "I was lucky to be born and raised in Nam Dan land. Since I was young, I followed my parents to visit Uncle Ho's house. The relics and stories about Uncle Ho's life kindled in me the dream of growing up to be a tour guide and telling stories about Uncle Ho to tourists from all over the world. Later, when I graduated from the History Department of Vinh University, I was accepted and was able to work here.

After more than 15 years in this profession, I still maintain my passion and love for Uncle Ho and my profession. The affection of tourists from all over the world is the motivation for me to stick with this job."

Director of Kim Lien Special National Relic Site Nguyen Bao Tuan shared: Kim Lien Special National Relic Site is a place that preserves artifacts associated with the simple life and activities of the President during his childhood and family.

Every year, this place welcomes over two million visitors. Especially on holidays such as April 30-May 1 and his birthday, there are a huge number of visitors coming here.

In the coming time, on the occasion of his birthday, the number of tourists coming here will be very large. Therefore, to serve tourists from all over the world, the Management Board of Kim Lien National Special Relic Site will mobilize 100% of its staff to directly welcome and guide them; at the same time, coordinate with the functional forces to regulate traffic, so that tourists have a good experience when returning to Uncle Ho's hometown.

Sen Village offers flowers to Him

Uncle Ho's hometown Sen Village is changing every day.

In May, lotus flowers are in full bloom. The large lotus ponds around the Kim Lien National Special Relic Site are like a mirror reflecting time. The lotus scent permeates every roof, every cool breeze, permeating the hearts of many generations of Sen villagers about the great merit of the Buddha.

This year, May is even more meaningful to the people of Kim Lien commune in particular and the people of Nghe An in general, when on this occasion there will be an additional statue of "Uncle Ho visiting his hometown".

Comrade Nguyen Quang Loc, Chairman of the People's Committee of Kim Lien commune, shared: The statue "Uncle Ho visits his hometown" is a great cultural work, meaningful in honoring President Ho Chi Minh.

The space where the statue is located is not only a place for cultural activities of the people of Nam Dan district in particular and Nghe An province in general, but also a solemn and sacred space, contributing to fostering patriotism, national pride, and the best qualities of the Vietnamese people according to Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality, and style.

The inauguration of the statue "Uncle Ho visits his hometown" is one of the highlights of this year's Sen Village Festival.

On every occasion of Uncle Ho's birthday, the Sen Village Festival is solemnly held with many attractive activities. Since 1981, the mass art movement about Uncle Ho, the Fatherland, and the Party was born under the name of the Sen Village Singing Festival.

In 2002, the Sen Village Singing Festival was upgraded by Nghe An province to the Sen Village Festival at the provincial level (held annually) and at the national level (held every 5 years) on the occasion of Uncle Ho's birthday. This year, the Sen Village Festival is held on a national scale.

The Sen Village Festival has long been a source of culture in the land of Nghe An, a land of “spiritual people”. Originating from everyday activities, the Sen Village Festival over the past four decades has become a cultural symbol, a gathering space, where the past and present blend, where cultural values ​​are honored through each activity and each solemn ritual.

Every year, each lotus blooming season is not only a festival season, but also a continuation of the cultural flow, an opportunity for millions of Vietnamese hearts to turn to Sen Village to listen to his story, to feel the love of the land and the warm love of people.

According to comrade Tran Thi My Hanh, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Nghe An province, the Sen Village Festival is an important activity, expressing the gratitude and respect of the people towards President Ho Chi Minh; at the same time, through that, it propagates and widely spreads the implementation of "Studying and following Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and style"; introducing and promoting the culture of Sen Village, Nghe An homeland to friends and tourists at home and abroad.

This year's Sen Village Festival has 13 cultural, sports and tourism activities. The highlight is the opening art program of the Sen Village Festival with the theme "Monument in millions of hearts" and the first 15-minute low-altitude fireworks display in Uncle Ho's hometown. During the festival, it is expected to announce a special tour, exclusive to Nghe An province, with the theme: "Returning to Uncle Ho's hometown".

Over the years, the Party Committee and the people of the homeland have always kept in mind his advice, striving to soon turn Nghe An into one of the better provinces in the North and the whole country. Realizing his testament, Nghe An province is becoming a bright spot in the country in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI).

In 2024, Nghe An attracted more than 1.7 billion USD in FDI capital, ranking 8th out of 63 provinces and cities nationwide. This is also the third consecutive year that Nghe An is in the top 10 localities attracting the largest FDI investment in the country. Along with that are many achievements in all fields, helping to improve people's lives. Songs dedicated to Him resonate forever through time.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/lang-sen-diem-hen-thang-5-post879785.html