Ho Chi Minh City - The stature of the times, creating the future

At the exhibition of national achievements “80 years of the journey of Independence - Freedom - Happiness”, Ho Chi Minh City, as the economic locomotive, the center of culture - education - science - technology of the whole country, participated in the exhibition, introducing the theme “Ho Chi Minh City - The stature of the times, creating the future”, conveying the message “Proud of the past - Connecting the future”.

Ms. Tran Thi Dieu Thuy, Vice Chairwoman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee. Photo: Thu Huong/VNA

On this occasion, VNA reporter interviewed Ms. Tran Thi Dieu Thuy, Vice Chairwoman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee about the preparation work and ideas related to this important event.

The city is actively preparing for the National Achievements Exhibition with the theme “80 years of Independence - Freedom - Happiness” on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of National Day, September 2. As the country’s major economic locomotive, what will Ho Chi Minh City introduce to the public at this exhibition, Madam?

The city participated in the exhibition with the theme "Ho Chi Minh City - The stature of the era, creating the future", conveying the message "Proud of the past - Connecting the future" with the desire to display and recreate in a general but full-depth way the journey of more than 300 years of the old Saigon - Gia Dinh land until now, associated with the merger of the two provinces of Binh Duong and Ba Ria - Vung Tau into a new Ho Chi Minh City with a large scale, oriented towards creating the future.

This is a picture of the combination of tradition and modernity: Ho Chi Minh City - with the heart of the South and the pioneering, strong mission, weaving new chapters of history from the journey of land opening, land preservation, construction and integration. The exhibition is like a meeting of memories and aspirations, of tradition and innovation, of the soul of the "hard-working but heroic Eastern land" and a broad global vision; from the footsteps of land reclamation, the heroic history of resistance, to the cause of innovation, integration and the aspiration to rise up.

In the context of the era of deep integration, the consolidation and expansion of development space between Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, and Ba Ria - Vung Tau is a strategic innovation step, affirming the vision of developing a smart, green, sustainable "super city" with a strong Southern identity, comparable to major centers in the Southeast Asian region.

We hope that every visitor will not only see the achievements, but also feel the indomitable spirit, loyalty and creativity - the values that have been and are creating the identity of the City named after Uncle Ho.

Could you tell us what outstanding achievements of Ho Chi Minh City will be introduced at the exhibition?

We present comprehensive achievements across all areas, but with a focus on highlights and iconic:

In terms of economy: Affirming the leading role, making important contributions to the national budget; introducing achievements in high-tech industry, financial services, logistics, international trade; strategic infrastructure projects such as highways, metro, Cai Mep - Thi Vai deep-water seaport; achievements of regional and international cooperation.

Regarding culture and society: Displaying tangible and intangible cultural heritages such as: Don ca tai tu, Cai luong, hat boi, folk festivals; modern cultural institutions; achievements in education, health care, social security, improving the quality of life; civilized and affectionate urban models.

Regarding science and technology: Achievements in digital transformation, artificial intelligence, smart urban development, innovation centers; research and application projects serving sustainable development.

Regarding national defense - security, foreign affairs: The city is firmly a strategic rear, ensuring a secure and orderly environment, a reliable and safe destination for international cooperation and investment attraction.

All of this content is presented through artifacts, images, documents, documentaries and interactive technology to give viewers a comprehensive experience.

Can you share the highlights related to the fields of culture, art, cuisine... that the City will introduce at this exhibition?

We identify culture as the spiritual foundation of society, an important endogenous strength for the City to develop sustainably and integrate internationally. Therefore, at this exhibition, in addition to economic, scientific and technological achievements, the City will dedicate a large space to introduce cultural, artistic and culinary values, reflecting the identity of the land and people of the South. Ho Chi Minh City is a place of convergence and diffusion, where the past and present intertwine, where traditional identity is preserved while absorbing the quintessence of the world; a city of humanity, openness, ready to open its arms to welcome friends from all over the world. This is the soft power, the unique identity that helps the City not only develop its economy but also affirm its competitive position in culture on the regional and international map.

Regarding traditional arts, visitors will have access to genres that have penetrated deeply into the souls of the people of the South such as: Don ca tai tu - a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity; Cai luong art - a "treasure" of the Southern stage; Hat Boi - an ancient royal stage genre preserved through many generations; Bong roi dance - both a religious ritual and a beautiful feature of community life. We also introduce images of typical festivals such as Nghinh Ong Festival, Ba Ngu Hanh Temple Festival, Tet Nguyen Tieu in Cho Lon... as vivid evidence of the cultural exchange between Vietnam - China - Khmer - Cham.

Regarding contemporary culture, the City displays works of photography, fine arts, and creative design that introduce the dynamic urban lifestyle; introduces creative spaces, walking streets, street festivals, outdoor art performances, etc., showing a city that not only preserves its heritage but also constantly renews itself, creating attraction for tourists and investors.

In terms of cuisine, this is an opportunity for friends at home and abroad to experience the typical flavors of the Southern region. We choose to introduce both simple dishes and specialties such as broken rice, noodles, bread, iced milk coffee, spring rolls, pancakes, etc. Each dish is not only a delicate combination of ingredients and spices, but also contains a story about history, about the process of cultural exchange, about the open and hospitable character of the Southern people.

On August 19, 2025, at Nguyen Hue walking street (Saigon ward), the Organizing Committee for the celebration of major holidays in Ho Chi Minh City held the opening ceremony of a photo exhibition with the theme "From the era of independence and national reunification to the era of national development". Photo: Thu Huong/VNA

Could you tell us about Ho Chi Minh City's preparations for this important propaganda campaign, especially the forms of expression that have the unique mark and identity of the City named after beloved Uncle Ho?

We synchronously deploy from content, design to display technology, ensuring scientific, aesthetic and effective propaganda, maximizing the power of digital technology to show the journey from the history of land opening to the vision of the future, using a variety of modern technologies to create interactive, immersive and personalized experiences for visitors. Affirming that Ho Chi Minh City will bring to the exhibition a comprehensive digital experience with in-depth content layers, flexible updating and expansion capabilities, reflecting Ho Chi Minh City's position as the center of technology - creativity - innovation of the whole country.

Accordingly, inside the exhibition, we designed the display layout to include 4 main spaces, corresponding to 4 historical periods. Space 1: Journey to open up the South - recreating the footsteps of exploration, building villages, establishing streets, opening markets, affirming sovereignty over new lands. Space 2: Long-term resistance, unifying the country - depicting the milestones of the heroic struggle against colonialism and imperialism, with images, artifacts, and vivid witness stories. Space 3: 50 years of construction, innovation, and creativity - demonstrating the spirit of "dare to think, dare to do", overcoming difficulties and rising up of the City and the merged localities. Space 4: The era of rising up - Future vision - introducing the development strategy of Ho Chi Minh City expansion, towards a "super city" of regional and world stature.

The display form harmoniously combines traditional display and multimedia technology such as 3D Mapping, VR/AR, interactive screens, AI Q&A systems... creating an open space, convenient for viewers to access, while evoking emotions and pride.

Typical digital technologies applied include: Artificial Intelligence (AI) - Smart assistant & automatic content; AI system suggests content according to personalized tour itinerary; Natural language processing application, multi-regional language and voice translation; Curved LED screen & Transparent LCD; areas such as "50 years of the country united as one strip" use curved scroll-up LED to create a breakthrough visual interactive experience; 3D Hologram - Stereoscopic projection; Holo can sense viewers' gestures to create vivid interactions; Motion Sensing & AI Sensor; Integrating facial or crowd recognition to adjust sound/light according to the number of visitors; Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technology; VR devices or AR applications on phones; Interactive information flow.

In addition to indoor exhibition content, the City pays special attention to designing outdoor spaces with iconic highlights, to create strong visual and emotional impressions.

On the giant flower map simulating the expanded Ho Chi Minh City, we arranged 168 locations with symbols corresponding to 168 new wards, communes, and special zones - each symbol is associated with a characteristic or typical image of that locality. This approach both demonstrates comprehensiveness and sends a message of solidarity and consensus in a unified urban entity.

Another highlight is the hot air balloon - a symbol of innovative vision, the desire to reach high and far. From the hot air balloon, visitors can take in the entire exhibition space, admire the miniature "beautiful mountains and rivers" in the form of flowers and artistic landscapes. This image both recalls the tradition of the City's Flower Street and inspires a modern, integrated urban area connected to the world.

All are combined with iconic structures such as: Nha Rong Wharf, Thu Dau Mot Market, Vung Tau Lighthouse, BK21 rig, and booths introducing typical cuisine and products. The open, airy, aesthetic space, combined with light, color and projection technology will turn this area into an attractive cultural - tourist "meeting place", spreading strongly on the media and social networks.

What is the message of Ho Chi Minh City when participating in the exhibition, Madam?

The message is: Ho Chi Minh City - The heart of the South, where the quintessence, will and aspirations of Vietnam converge; brave and resilient in combat; pioneering and creative in construction; ready to compete and reach the same level as major centers of the region and the world.

We would like to affirm that, with a tradition of more than 300 years of exploration and integration, Ho Chi Minh City has never stopped before any challenge. From a young city on a new land, through many historical changes, this place has become an economic locomotive, a leading center of culture - education - science - technology, making great contributions to the cause of unification, construction and protection of the Fatherland.

Today, in the context of globalization and the 4.0 industrial revolution, the expanded Ho Chi Minh City - connecting the strengths of Binh Duong and Ba Ria - Vung Tau - is setting itself a new vision and mission: Building a smart, green, sustainable "super city" with high international competitiveness, becoming a financial, commercial, service, logistics, and high-tech industrial center of Southeast Asia. This is not only a simple economic development aspiration, but also the City's commitment to the whole country: Continuing to play a leading role, a growth driver, a place to test and spread innovative models, an "open hand" connecting international friends to Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh City will not only be a destination of opportunity, but also a place to create trends, lead cooperation and development.

This exhibition is not only an opportunity to introduce the achievements, but also an opportunity for the City to affirm the mettle, intelligence and stature of Ho Chi Minh City in the new era: Ready to compete - Confidently integrate - Determined to reach the world.

Thank you very much.

Huu Duyen/VNA (conducted)

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/thoi-su/tp-ho-chi-minh-tam-voc-thoi-dai-kien-tao-tuong-lai-20250820074312554.htm