Buenos Aires (VNA) – As Vietnam is going to mark the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South and the national reunification (April 30), an Argentine citizen has revealed how the watershed moment transcended borders and became a symbol of independence and freedom for peace-loving people worldwide.

Chairwoman of the Argentina – Vietnam Culture Institute (ICAV) Poldi Sosa Schmidt told the Vietnam News Agency that although 50 years have gone by, memories of the historic moment in the Vietnamese history remain vivid in her mind.

At that time, the octogenarian was working in Cuba when the news of Vietnam’s victory spread rapidly. She recalled that just hours after the victory, Cuban President Fidel Castro visited the Embassy of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, to offer congratulations.

Reminiscing about those distant memories, Poldi was emotional as she displayed the April 30, 1975 issue of Granma, the official organ of the Communist Party of Cuba, with the bold headline, “Decisive victory of the Vietnamese people, Saigon surrenders unconditionally.” Due to the time zone difference, the special publication was released on April 30 half a century ago.

After 50 years, the newspaper has yellowed with age and is no longer intact, but Poldi explained that despite moving from Cuba to Argentina and relocating several times since, she has always preserved this newspaper as an extremely precious memento.

According to Poldi, the victory remains a brilliant milestone in Vietnam's history of nation-building and defence. It is not only a source of pride for the Vietnamese people but also a radiant symbol of the aspiration for independence and freedom for peace-lovers across the globe.

Poldi also recalled her enduring bond with Vietnam, saying while living in the UK in the 1960s, she participated in demonstrations supporting the Vietnamese people's struggle. Later, after moving to Chile, she became a founding member of the Chile – Vietnam Friendship Cultural Institute, which contributed significantly to establishing the Embassy of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in Chile in March 1971. Subsequently, Poldi actively supported opening Vietnam's Embassy in Argentina in 1995. In December 1997, she established the ICAV in Buenos Aires to promote the Argentine culture in Vietnam and vice versa.

ꦿ Since her first visit to Vietnam in 1997, Poldi has returned to the S-shaped country 26 times. She has witnessed Vietnam’s miracle transformation in recent decades and expressed her delight over the positive changes, including better living quality, robust economic growth, as well as sound social welfare, education and health care. She said the development demonstrates the Vietnamese Party and State’s rational policies./.