An exhibition featuring late Lao President Souphanouvong, a close friend of Vietnam, opened at the Ho Chi Minh Museum in Hanoi on July 19 on the occasion of his 110th birthday.

An exhibition featuring late Lao President Souphanouvong, a close friend of Vietnam,
opened at the Ho Chi Minh Museum in Hanoi on July 19 on the occasion of
his 110th birthday

Opening the event, Director of the museum Vu Manh Ha noted that together with President Ho Chi Minh, President Souphanouvong, who spent years living, studying and working in Vietnam, laid the foundation for the special relations between Vietnam and Laos.

The exhibition displays nearly 100 photos, documents and items showing the memories of the late leader in Vietnam as well as his life and revolution career.

In his young age, President Souphanouvong studied in Vietnam for 10 years before studying in France to become the first bridge and road construction engineer in Indochina then. After graduation, he returned to Vietnam to work. The works designed by the late Lao leader include Bai Thuong dam in Thanh Hoa, Do Luong dam in Nghe An, and Phan Thiet water tower in Binh Thuan.

Major historical milestones of the Vietnam-Laos relations are also highlighted at the exhibition, along with the special friendship between the two nations over the past 70 years.

Born on July 13, 1909, into the royal family, the late leader of Laos had a special role to play in laying the foundation for and nurturing of the relations between Vietnam and Laos. Together with members of the first generation of Lao leaders, he stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the Vietnamese people in the struggle for national independence and freedom.

After the complete liberation of Laos and the proclamation on the establishment of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Souphanouvong was elected as the first President of the country.