Memorial site: President Ho Chi Minh's visits to Trade Union University

The memorial area commemorating President Ho Chi Minh's visit to Trade Union University is located at No. 158 Tay Son Street, Quang Trung Ward, Dong Da District, former Hanoi City. It is now in Kim Lien Ward, Hanoi City.

Trade Union University is under the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour. It is a training center for trade union cadres, offering multidisciplinary bachelor's degrees in Economics, Economic Management, and Labour Protection, and is also a research center on the working class and Vietnamese trade union organizations.

During his lifetime, President Ho Chi Minh always cared about trade union work and the workers' labour movement. In April 1946, several leaders of the Workers' National Salvation Association such as Tran Danh Tuyen, Tran Cu... came to ask for Uncle Ho's and the Central Committee's opinions on establishing a trade union organization and expanding the first cadre training class for trade union cadres. Uncle Ho advised: “In order to have conditions to expand and gather union members, there must be cadres, and to have cadres, a training class must be opened; the school must be established first, and then troops can be recruited”.

Implementing Uncle Ho's teaching, on May 15, 1946, the first labour-movement cadre class opened at Khuyen Luong Communal House, Tran Phu Commune, Thanh Tri District (now Tran Phu Ward, Hoang Mai District, Hanoi City). With affection and concern for the cause of training and fostering trade union cadres, Uncle Ho visited Trade Union University five times - the cradle for training Vietnamese trade union cadres.

The first time: On January 19, 1957, Uncle Ho visited and spoke with the training class and all staff, employees, and students of the school at 191 Tay Son Street. He spoke generally about the Party's line toward the working class, proletarian ethics, solidarity, and the attitude and tasks of the trade union.

The second time: In December 1957, the school held a training conference for trade union cadres on “Management of State-Owned Enterprises”; Uncle Ho again visited and spoke.

The third time: On April 12, 1958, the school opened a refresher class for trade union cadres; Uncle Ho visited and spoke with staff, employees, and students in the hall.

The fourth time: On March 14, 1959, Uncle Ho visited and spoke at the conference of trade union cadres of enterprises across the North held at the school. He said: The trade union must promote the working class's role as master in participating in management and organizing emulation movements, must maintain close ties with the masses, and must maintain internal solidarity. The purpose of the trade union is to gradually improve the material and cultural life of workers.

The fifth time: On August 13, 1962, the conference of grassroots trade union cadres of the whole North met at 169 Tay Son. Thousands of cadres attentively listened to Uncle Ho's words: “Trade union cadres must not only be good at politics but also skilled in economics; they cannot lead in a general way. To educate workers well, first of all the contingent of trade union cadres must be united and unanimous, and resolutely build unity and unanimity within the trade union system…”.

On his visits to the school, Uncle Ho's reminders have been a guiding principle for the school's activities and a precious orientation for developing the trade union organization and building the contingent of trade union cadres. They are also unforgettable memories in the minds of many generations of cadres and teachers throughout the school's path of maturity and development.

To commemorate the events of Uncle Ho's visits to the school's cadres, teachers, employees, and workers, and at the same time to educate subsequent generations about tradition, the school's Party Committee and Board of Directors decided to build the President Ho Chi Minh memorial area within the school grounds in front of the main hall. The memorial area is located in a solemn, quiet position. Many green trees, shade trees, and large ornamental planters are planted around it. The trees are always pruned and cared for daily, creating a space that is both solemn and close. The walkways are paved with clean, neat bricks.

Uncle Ho's statue is erected on a square base paved with natural stone. On the base stands a statue of Uncle Ho standing, his right hand raised to greet compatriots, his left hand holding a glasses case. The statue looks simple and approachable, with affectionate eyes looking forward. In front of the statue is a bronze incense burner. On major holidays and Uncle Ho's birthday, the school's cadres, teachers, and students come here to offer incense sticks respectfully to Uncle Ho with all their gratitude and reverence.

In addition to the statue area, the hall where Uncle Ho spoke for the last time on August 13, 1962 is still preserved intact and increasingly renovated and spacious. This is the place for collective political, scientific, and cultural activities of the school's cadres, employees, and students.

Hanoi capital was the place where President Ho lived and worked longest in his revolutionary life. From 1945 to 1969, as the head of the Party and State, despite his busy work, Uncle Ho still gave special affection and attention to Hanoi capital and the working class, including Trade Union University. This is a great honor for the collective of cadres, teachers, employees, and students of the school. It is probably rare for any unit, agency, or school to have the honor of welcoming the supreme leader of the nation to visit and work so many times. That is not only pride and honor for the school's collective of teachers and cadres but also the pride of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour.

The memorial relic of the event of President Ho Chi Minh's visits to Trade Union University was ranked as a municipal-level historical and cultural relic in 2001.