City to vote on namesake statue

      The public will take part in choosing a statue to be built of President Ho Chi Minh and President Ton Duc Thang, based on a well-known photo taken in 1960.
The statue will be displayed permanently in Thong Nhat (Reunification) Park on the occasion of the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Ha Noi.
Residents in HCM City can view three samples of the statue at the Ho Chi Minh Museum in HCM City.
The three samples have already been displayed in Ha Noi, where the public cast its vote on its favourite.
The three sample 1.2 m high statues were chosen among 25 works made by sculptors from Ha Noi and HCM City.
Because of the statue’s historical, political and cultural significance, organisers wanted to receive opinions from the public before an expert selection committee makes a final selection.
After the HCM City votes are collected, sculptors will then recast a six-metre high statue in copper to be placed in Ha Noi.
The statue was based on photos taken in 1960 when Uncle Ho and Uncle Ton were elected Viet Nam’s President and Vice President by the National Assembly.
The handshake between the two leaders became the symbol of Vietnamese comradeship and solidarity in the battle against enemies for the country’s reunion.