Uncle Ho memorial space inside Antica Trattoria della Pesa Restaurant (Photo: VNA)
Italian friends who love Vietnam, including members of the Italy-Vietnam Friendship Association in Lombardy, the Memorial Art Restoration (RAM) group, embellished Uncle Ho's relic at Antica Trattoria della Pesa (Ancient Scales) restaurant at 10 Pasubio Street, where President Ho Chi Minh lived and worked in the 1930s, when he went from Paris to Milan to meet Comintern comrades and Italian friends.
Speaking at the meeting on the occasion of the embellishment, Counselor of the Vietnamese Embassy in Italy Nguyen Thai Hoc emphasized that this was a very meaningful event, in order to preserve forever the image of President Ho Chi Minh, the great leader of Vietnam and world cultural celebrity, and at the same time expressing the love and respect for him of the Italian people in general and the city of Milan in particular.
According to Mr. Nguyen Thai Hoc, the Vietnamese Embassy in Italy highly appreciated and expressed gratitude to the Milan city government, the Italy-Vietnam Friendship Association in Lombardy, Antica Trattoria della Pesa Restaurant and the RAM group for participating in embellishing Uncle Ho's relic.
The stone sign, which was installed by the Milan city government outside Antica Trattoria della Pesa Restaurant in 1990, on the occasion of the 100th birthday of President Ho Chi Minh, clearly states: "This house is where President Ho Chi Minh often came on during his time abroad in the 1930s to protect the people's freedom". The sign has faded over time, and has been embellished by Italian friends, who love Uncle Ho.
Sharing with Vietnam News Agency correspondent to Italy, Ms. Ilaria Laise, a RAM member who directly participated in embellishment, said that since 2018, her group has participated in the embellishment of steles and signs commemorating those who lost their lives during the resistance throughout the city. "Together with the Anti-Fascist Memory Association, we have restored the memorial plaques of the new resistance fighters. When we saw that the memorial sign for President Ho Chi Minh had been degraded, the writing was blurred and unreadable; we sought to contact the Italy-Vietnam Friendship Association and repaired the sign as it in the current situation."
The bronze statue of President Ho Chi Minh, given to the city of Milan by the State of Vietnam and solemnly placed in Antica Trattoria della Pesa Restaurant since 2012, is being cared for and preserved by Ms. Francesca Sassi, owner of the restaurant. Ms. Sassi is very proud of the history of the house, as well as what belonged to President Ho Chi Minh during the time he lived and worked there.
She said that the house dates from 1880, and through many events, everything is still intact, from the name of the restaurant to the layout and all furniture inside, especially items related to President Ho Chi Minh. The corner of the table, the chair Uncle Ho usually sat to read the newspaper, met the Comintern comrades, the umbrella stand, the antique scale, the confetti in front of the house remain unchanged. People who come to the restaurant all love Vietnam, love President Ho Chi Minh and many of them are Communist Party members in Italy. They come there to share their love for Vietnam and President Ho Chi Minh, although many of them have never set foot in Vietnam.
Antica Trattoria della Pesa Restaurant is the only place recognized by the Milan city government and known by the Italian public as the red address of Uncle Ho, which further spreads understanding and love of Italian people for Vietnam and President Ho Chi Minh./.