On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the US (1995-2025) and the 78th anniversary of the War Invalids and Martyrs Day (July 27,47 - July 27, 2025), the National Archives Center III under the Department of Literature and State Archives organized an Exhibition of Documents with the theme "30 years of Vietnam - US diplomatic relations".
At the same time, the Center coordinated with the Vietnam - US Association, the "Soldier's Heart" Organization, the "20 Year Old For a Long Time" Club and the Vietnam Center, Texas Institute of Technology (USA) to organize the return of war memories to the families of martyrs and veterans.
The exhibition exploits rich sources of documents from the National Archives Center III, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam, the Vietnam News Agency, the US Embassy in Vietnam, the Vietnam Center, the University of Technology of Texas and historical witnesses.
The documents reflect important milestones and cooperation processes in many fields such as politics, economics, culture, science, education, health, defense, etc.
In particular, the exhibition introduces many documents that were first published such as documents related to the process of normalizing relations; Declaration of US President William J. Clinton dated July 11, 1995 at the White House on establishing relations with Vietnam ( archived in the US); Declaration of Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet dated July 12, 1995 on the decision of the US President ( archived at the National Archives Center III).
The exhibition consists of 3 parts: moving towards establishing diplomatic relations; Cooperation and development; Steadfastly entering a new era. The content reflects the journey of the two countries building trust, sharing strategic benefits and committing to substantive cooperation. The US Embassy in Vietnam also presented 30 documentary photos on this occasion, symbolizing 30 years of bilateral relations.
A notable highlight is the activity of receiving and returning documents and war relics. The Vietnam Center, Texas Institute of Technology has donated to the National Archives Center III more than 200 sets of records and data related to Vietnamese martyrs and veterans for continued storage and return.
In 2025, the "Heart of the Soldier" organization compiled and published nearly 50 documents on social networks. Thanks to the support of volunteers from the "20-year-old forever" and "Resistance Curiosity" Clubs, after nearly 2 months, the relatives information of 21 martyrs and some living veterans was verified.
Exposing documents and returning documents are marks of profound humanitarian, historical and foreign significance. The memories preserved and the exhibits exchanged are proof of the cooperation journey between Vietnam and the US, towards peace, stability and development.
