A special gift for General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong

(Dan Tri Newspaper) - The light sculpture titled "Vietnamese Bamboo" is a tribute and expression of profound gratitude to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, an outstanding leader who has dedicated his entire life to the country.

The significance of this gift was shared by the Vietnamese Consul General in Guangzhou (China), Nguyen Viet Dung (former Director of the State Protocol Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs ), with a reporter from Dan Tri newspaper , as he reminisced about his profound experiences interacting with and serving the late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

A special gift from General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong to his "distinguished guests".

"Upon hearing the news of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong's passing, I was overwhelmed with sadness and boundless grief at this immense loss. This sorrow prompted me to recall precious memories of the time I had the opportunity to serve the General Secretary in receiving high-ranking foreign delegations visiting Vietnam," Mr. Dung emotionally shared. In particular, Mr. Dung mentioned the visits to Vietnam of US President Joe Biden (September 2023); Chinese President and General Secretary Xi Jinping (December 2023); and Russian President Vladimir Putin (June 2024). These are all leaders of major countries, with significant influence and importance to Vietnam. Recalling President Biden's visit to Vietnam, Mr. Dung recounted that on an autumn day in September, in his capacity as Director of the State Protocol Department, he had the honor of reporting to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong on the protocol for receiving President Joe Biden.

Nguyen Viet Dung, Director of the State Protocol Department, poses for a photo with General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in September 2023 (Photo: Provided by the subject).

Also at that meeting, Nguyen Viet Dung, Director of the State Protocol Department, was fortunate enough to have his picture taken with General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong right in his office. "The General Secretary showed me photos taken with Joe Biden when he was the US Vice President (in 2015), during General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong's first visit to the US at the invitation of the White House. Afterward, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong agreed with my suggestion to select one photo to be used in a gemstone painting as a gift for President Joe Biden during his visit to Vietnam, marking the milestone of Vietnam and the US upgrading their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership," recounted former Director of the State Protocol Department Nguyen Viet Dung.

This is a gemstone painting that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong presented to US President Joe Biden on the occasion of his visit to Vietnam in September 2023 (Photo: Provided by the subject).

Russian President Putin expressed his gratitude for the gift from General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

Another memorable experience that Mr. Dung recalled was preparing a gift for Russian President Vladimir Putin in June 2024, during his state visit to Vietnam. While discussing the idea of ​​a gift from General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong to President Putin with artist Bui Van Tu, Mr. Dung said that the State Protocol Department proposed using the image of a birch tree – a symbol of Russia – to create a sculpture. When light was shone on the miniature birch forest, it would create a portrait of Putin in his youth. From another angle, it would depict a portrait of a contemporary Russian president. The artwork, titled "Great Russia," was subsequently chosen by the General Secretary's Office as a gift for President Putin. The sculpture features a prominent image of a horse neighing majestically under the birch tree canopy, representing strength, steadfastness, and freedom, while also symbolizing nobility and loyalty.

When the light shines on the artwork, the shadows of the birch forest blend together to form the image of a young man who, from his youth, harbored the aspiration to build a great Russia. In particular, when the birch tree is rotated and the light is at the right angle, from the image of the young man emerges the portrait of the current President of Russia – a man who dedicated his life to nurturing talent and building a powerful Russia on the international stage. "This light sculpture is a vivid symbol of the friendship between the two countries and two peoples, inseparable like shadow and substance, always closely linked and developing together. The gift expresses respect and the desire to strengthen the good relationship, a testament to the cultural exchange and enduring friendship between Vietnam and Russia," Mr. Dung shared. He added that this gift was authorized by the General Secretary to be presented to Russia by President To Lam, with a projection by artist Bui Van Tu at the Hanoi Opera House. According to Mr. Dung, Russian President Putin was very grateful for the gift.

This special artwork was conceived from a photograph of the General Secretary's "charisma."

During a visit to Mr. Nguyen Viet Dung's workplace at the State Protocol Department headquarters, artist Bui Van Tu saw a photograph of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong taken by photojournalist Pham Thang ( National Assembly Television) at the closing session of the 5th session of the 15th National Assembly on June 24, 2023. Impressed by the demeanor of the outstanding leader, the young artist was then inspired by the Director of the State Protocol Department to use the portrait and demeanor of one of the Party's outstanding leaders, along with the image of the Vietnamese bamboo tree – with its firm roots, sturdy trunk, and graceful branches – as material and inspiration for his artwork. This also reflects the message imbued with the soul, character, and spirit of the Vietnamese nation that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong described when he chaired and delivered a speech at the First National Foreign Affairs Conference in December 2021, according to Mr. Nguyen Viet Dung. Following a suggestion from the then Director of State Protocol, artist Bui Van Tu immediately began creating a light sculpture titled "Vietnamese Bamboo Tree".

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong at the closing session of the 5th session of the 15th National Assembly on June 24, 2023, and the artwork "Vietnamese Bamboo" depicting the General Secretary's portrait when illuminated (Photo: Pham Thang, provided by the subject).

According to Mr. Dung, this is a profound expression of gratitude and appreciation to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, an outstanding leader, a staunch communist, who dedicated his entire life to the cause of national construction and development, and who has earned the complete trust of the Vietnamese people and the respect of international friends. This is clearly demonstrated in every telegram and letter of condolence from leaders of many countries, ruling parties, Communist Parties around the world, partner parties, and international organizations sent to the leaders and people of Vietnam in recent days. Sharing more about this gift, Mr. Dung said that the artwork prominently features a cluster of Vietnamese bamboo. The former Director of the State Protocol Department emphasized that, with its characteristics of both strength and flexibility, bamboo diplomacy has become a symbol of Vietnam's foreign policy strategy: flexible yet steadfast, adaptable yet never yielding to challenges. The image of the tall bamboo grove with its "sturdy roots, strong trunk, and graceful branches" symbolizes the continuous development and strong aspiration of the nation. The cluster of bamboo and the vigorously sprouting shoots form a unified whole, symbolizing the spirit of solidarity and determination of the entire nation in protecting and building a peaceful and prosperous Vietnam. Each steadfast bamboo grove is a testament to the loyalty and perseverance of the Vietnamese people, and each sprouting shoot represents the continuous inheritance and development of the younger generation, the future owners of the country. "What is special about this artwork is that when light shines on it, the shadows of the bamboo grove blend together to create a portrait of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong," Mr. Dung shared. After a brief pause during the conversation, Mr. Dung said he never thought that the artwork "Vietnamese Bamboo" would become the last meaningful gift he could contribute to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. Although General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has passed away, according to the former Director of the State Protocol Department, the vision of this outstanding leader lives on. He also proudly shared that the book "Building and Developing a Comprehensive, Modern, and Distinctive 'Vietnamese Bamboo' Foreign Relations and Diplomacy" is a particularly significant legacy that the late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong left for the country's foreign relations and diplomacy.

Dantri.com.vn

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/xa-hoi/mon-qua-dac-biet-danh-tang-tong-bi-thu-nguyen-phu-trong-20240723211300591.htm