The car of the Political Department, Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Cuba took us away from the capital of Havana in a drizzly morning, heading towards Matanzas province. Accompanying the group were Lieutenant Colonel Antonio (nicknamed Dau), an officer of the Political Department and a female interpreter - Captain Claudya (nicknamed Hong). The vast highway stretched like a dark silk strip along the coast, with blue waves on one side and hills and grasslands on the other, lush with green grass. The Cuban landscape reminds people who have traveled halfway around the world of the coastal countryside of the South and South Central regions. There are also two distinct rainy and sunny seasons. There are also rows of coconut trees leaning over the long sandy beach drying in the blazing sun. Matanzas is one of the countrysides known as a tourist paradise in Cuba, with a majestic and graceful beauty like a princess nestled by the ocean window. In the midst of Cuba's land and sky, everything that appears brings a strangely familiar feeling. The lush green patches of vegetables give off the scent of basil, purslane, amaranth... and even honey grass. Flocks of seagulls at dawn and dusk swoop down to play with the bathing tourists. Our hearts are filled with a sense of closeness and intimacy, as if we were returning to a familiar memory rather than setting foot in a faraway land for the first time...

The People's Army Newspaper delegation worked with the Political Department, Ministry of the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces on propaganda work and building the Army. Photo: TRONG HAI

Looking at the rows of bright red peonies that seemed to light up the hillside, Colonel Vu Xuan Dan, Chief of Office of the People's Army Newspaper, happily exclaimed:

- Being halfway around the world feels like walking in my hometown fields!

That exclamation is not exaggerated but a very real and familiar feeling. The scenery here reminds us of the verses in the poem "From Cuba" by poet To Huu. More than 6 decades ago, coming to "Cuba, the island of Fire, the island of Say...", the famous poet of Vietnamese revolutionary poetry had beautiful feelings and associations: "... Looking at you, I thought I was in my hometown/ The girl from Hon Gai guarding the distant sea/ Missing the sister from the South chasing the enemy/ Among the reeds of Dong Thap , the sugarcane of Tuy Hoa...".

That's right! The similarities between the two countries are not only in the beautiful nature but also permeate the souls of the people through generations, from the history of fighting for and maintaining independence and freedom for the people in each country. During our days in Cuba, every step we took out on the street, we were welcomed with warm affection from the people. From the receptionist, the security guard at the hotel to the taxi drivers, the street singers... when they knew we were from Vietnam, everyone smiled brightly, waved and said the familiar words: "Ola Vietnam! Viva Vietnam! Viva Ho Chi Minh !" (Hello Vietnam! Long live Vietnam! Long live Ho Chi Minh!).

On the way to Matanzas, a truly impressive image appeared before our eyes. On the mountain top by the blue sea, a column of red fire shot straight up into the sky. We asked Senior Lieutenant Claudya and he explained that the column of fire came from the chimney of the Antonio Guiteras Thermal Power Plant. During the plant's operation, there was a chimney that always emitted a bright stream of fire, like a giant torch on the beach. The image created a very strong visual feeling, with a deep metaphor. Cuba is known as the "Island of Fire". That is the flame of national spirit, of the indomitable will to fight for independence and freedom, lit by legendary people, such as the great leader Fidel Castro and outstanding national heroes such as José Martí Pérez, Antonio Maceo, Che Guevara... That immortal flame is a legacy passed down from generation to generation, fostering the internal strength for the Cuban people to overcome countless difficulties and challenges, standing tall and proud like a sturdy fortress on the Caribbean Sea. That is why, anywhere in Cuba, it is easy to see the symbol of fire, carrying the indomitable spirit and message of the Cuban people. That is the torch from statues and ancient architectural works. That is the flickering fire on the festival night at Castillo del Morro Fortress. In the sound of heroic music, Cuban soldiers hold high the bright torch, shouting the oath to protect the country and greeting visitors from near and far. The sound of cannons and the sound of ocean waves echoed through the ancient stone walls, more than 500 years old, resounding like the echoes of centuries of struggle to protect the country. Walking in the flickering firelight, we felt more deeply the flame of revolutionary spirit, of belief in victory and solidarity and friendship between the people of Cuba and Vietnam. Despite the distance of thousands of nautical miles, it still burns brightly, persistently overcoming all challenges...

This is the first time the People's Army Newspaper has sent a delegation to Cuba. The delegation was led by Major General Doan Xuan Bo, Party Secretary, Editor-in-Chief, with members: Colonel Vu Xuan Dan, Chief of Office; Lieutenant Colonel Dinh Trong Hai, Head of Photo Department; Lieutenant Colonel Pham Van Hieu, reporter. And me - Colonel Phan Tung Son, Head of Representative Office in Ho Chi Minh City. Our working trip took place on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Cuba (December 2, 1960 / December 2, 2025), further increasing the excitement and respect for each soldier journalist. In us, sacred emotions arose before the revolutionary achievements that the two Parties and peoples of the two countries have achieved throughout the history of the struggle for national liberation, maintaining independence and freedom. Before leaving, Major General Doan Xuan Bo told the members of the delegation: "This is a rare honor and opportunity for soldier journalists, demonstrating the attention of the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defense and the leadership of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army for press and media work in the Army. Therefore, we must absorb special results and imprints from practice, contributing to improving the quality and effectiveness of propaganda work, successfully building a model of a press agency, multimedia communication in the digital environment". And then, after more than 10 days of penetrating reality, living on "Fire Island, Say Island" with Cuban friends and comrades, what we experienced and felt far exceeded the results of a normal business trip...

The brotherly country of Cuba has become close to the Vietnamese people over the past 6 decades. However, when living together on the "Island of Fire, Island of Saying", we truly felt the profound similarities between the two countries. In the small room arranged to welcome the delegation at the airport, Major General Marcelo Perez, Deputy Director of Politics, Ministry of the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces and the members of the delegation took turns giving us tight hugs, expressing the comradely and loyal brotherly love. The aroma of the steaming hot cup of coffee and the friendly and humorous words immediately erased all boundaries of time and geographical distance, helping us forget the fatigue from the flight of more than 20 hours, not to mention the transit time of more than 8 hours in Paris (France).

Major General Marcelo Perez mentioned the loyal friendship and lasting solidarity that the two countries’ Parties, States and peoples have worked hard to cultivate. This is a priceless asset that today’s generation has the responsibility to preserve and develop. Recent visits and delegation exchanges between the leaders of the Parties, States and Armies of the two countries have continued to strongly promote the relationship and deep cooperation between Vietnam and Cuba.

Receiving the warm feelings of his Cuban comrades, Major General Doan Xuan Bo shared: "As soon as we arrived here, we felt the warmth of family love as if we were returning to our blood brothers. Over the past 65 years, the special Vietnam-Cuba relationship founded by President Ho Chi Minh and President Fidel Castro has become a symbol of the times. Like Cuba, Vietnam has gone through years of fierce war. This working trip of the delegation is not only a defense foreign affairs activity but also a journey to continue the tradition of the team of journalists of the People's Army Newspaper, carrying the full trust and confidence of a large number of readers...".

The bright torch and the blue sea, two contrasting colors create depth for the captivating picture of “Fire Island”. The eternal beauty of nature and the history and culture of generations of Cuban people are like an eternal flame, shining on the blue Caribbean sea...

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    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/phong-su-dieu-tra/phong-su/song-cung-dao-lua-dao-say-ky-1-duoc-sang-va-bien-xanh-938560