The Ho Chi Minh Museum is compiling a file on Vua Di Duong Vua Ke Chuyen (Telling a Story While Traveling), which the president first penned under the name T Lan while on his way to country’s northeast to direct the Bien Gioi (border) campaign against the French troops in 1950.

Museum’s director Chu Duc Tinh said considering the criteria for documentary heritage under the UNESCO’s World Memory programme, staffs were confident a proposal would be recognised.

The compilers aim to receive recognition in time for the president’s 120th birthday in May, 2010.

The narration reviewed important events during the president’s more than 30 years of revolutionary work from when he left the country for France in 1911 until the success of the August Revolution against French rule in 1945.

Much of the typed script, which has been carefully edited by researchers, covers President Ho’s working style and his thrift such as his use of the blank sides of printed sheets and the back of pages torn from calendars for writing.

The work was considered more than literary value because it covered historical events. With its high degree of accuracy, it was reliable material for research on President Ho’s revolutionary work, compilers said.

Pham Sanh Chau head of External Culture and UNESCO Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the script’s uniqueness made it eligible for consideration.

The work, first published in Nhan Dan (People) Newspaper in 1961, was printed as a book in 1963 and has since been reproduced many times.

The original script was stored in the Presidential Palace from 1961-69 before being transferred to the museum.

Mr. Tinh said the carefully compiled file had precise details of various values and the inspiration it gave future generations.

The file would also highlight the work’s international significance as required by the criteria for nomination as a World Memory’s Documentary Heritage title.

Mr. Tinh said the museum would invite specialists to help complete the file. Compilers aim to submit their final file within a month to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

The file, completed with support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and National Archives Department, would then be sent to the Government for approval.

An art exhibition opened in Hanoi on May 9 to showcase literature, newspapers, photos and fine art about the late President Ho Chi Minh.

The event was part of activities to mark the president’s birthday (May 19) and promote the movement “Studying and following President Ho Chi Minh’s moral example”, which was launched over a year ago.

The event was co-organised by the Vietnam Fine Art Association, the Vietnam Photography Association and the Vietnam Architects’ Association.

The Vietnamese performances attracted hundreds of young people in Tokyo.

After the festival, the Vietnamese art troupe will continue to perform in Okinawa Province in the southern part of Japan.

The Golden Dragon troupe aims to introduce Vietnam’s unique water puppetry to the world and exchanging experiences with other troupes from Japan and other countries about how to conserve and develop traditional cultural heritages.

The festival has attracted 15 countries, including Japan, Italy, Sweden, Cambodia, Vietnam…

The event which highlights Halong Bay beauty attracted many domestic and foreign tourists and is part of the programme to vote for Halong Bay as one of seven natural wonders of the world.

The art delegations which participate in the event come from many countries such as Laos, China, Indonesia, Spain, South Korea and India.

The performers walked in procession along the streets of Halong to perform the special cultural activities such as Whale Festival, lion dance, walk on stilts and ethnic groups’ life in Quang Ninh Province.

Other activities included a firework display, concerts and fashion shows.

The event will last until May 2.