In his opening remarks, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son said that the signing of the agreement 70 years opened up a new strategic direction for Vietnam to fully realise the goals of peace, national independence and territorial unity, and the construction of socialism.

The Geneva Accords and the glorious Dien Bien Phu Victory, which “resounded across the five continents and shook the globe”, inspired and encouraged the national liberation movements for independence, freedom, peace, democracy, progress, and social justice, Son emphasised, adding that this marked the beginning of the collapse of old colonialism worldwide.

According to the minister, commemorating the 70th anniversary of the signing of the agreement is an opportunity to deeply understand the historical lessons whose values remain intact and to jointly build a better present and future.

Having endured numerous struggles against foreign aggression, Vietnam highly values the importance of peace, consistently upholds and respects the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter and international law, and contributes fully to global peace, national independence, democracy, cooperation for development, and social progress, stressed Son.

He asserted that the diplomatic sector plays a pioneering role in maintaining a peaceful and stable environment conducive to the rapid and sustainable development of the country, for the goal of wealthy people, and a powerful, democratic, just and civilised nation.

With approximately 120 photos, documents, and artifacts, including some related to the Geneva Agreement introduced to the public for the first time, the exhibition, which will last to September 5, portrays the negotiation, signing, and implementation processes of the agreement, thus helping deepen the understanding among the Vietnamese people and international friends of its significance.

On this occasion, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) Publishing House introduced a photo book on the 1954 Geneva Agreement.

It includes over 250 photos sourced from the VNA, the Foreign Ministry, the Party Central Committee Office Archives, the Vietnam National Museum of History, National Archives Centre III, and from the collection of the family of Ta Quang Buu who participated in the negotiations at the Geneva Conference./.VNA