On this island, the program featured many meaningful activities, including offering flowers and incense in tribute to fallen heroes; visiting and presenting gifts to beneficiaries; providing livelihood support; and offering health checkups and consultations to veterans, policy beneficiaries, national contributors, and low-income households in the area.
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Major General Doan Xuan Bo and delegates visit and present gifts to Le Thi Diem, 86, wife of a martyr. |
Solemn moments at Hang Duong cemetery
Con Dao holds a special significance in the nation’s history of revolutionary struggle. Its prison system was once known as a “hell on earth,” where tens of thousands of revolutionary soldiers and patriots were imprisoned, and countless people ultimately laid down their lives on the remote island.
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Major General Doan Xuan Bo visits and presents gifts to Nguyen Xuan Vien, 93, a former Con Dao political prisoner. |
At the incense-offering ceremony at the temple and monument in the Hang Duong Cemetery, the delegation observed a minute of silence in tribute of fallen soldiers. In the solemn atmosphere, the delegates understood more about the value of peace, paid tribute to those who had died, and reminded themselves of their responsibility to safeguard the national sovereignty.
Con Dao today has changed much. Greenery stretches across the hillsides, while tree-lined roads blend with clear blue waters, white sand, and a peaceful pace of life. Once synonymous with imprisonment and suffering, the island has become a “red address” where troops and people from across the country come to pay tribute and gain a deeper appreciation of the value of independence and freedom.
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Major General Doan Xuan Bo and representatives of participating units present livelihood support to 10 disadvantaged veterans’ families. |
Perhaps no one feels these changes more deeply than the former political prisoners who endured years of incarceration on the island.
Practical support for national contributors
The main activities of the program were held at the Con Dao special zone Public Service Center. From early morning, large numbers of veterans, wounded soldiers, sick soldiers, national contributors, former political prisoners, and relatives of martyrs gathered at the area. Many elderly and participants were assisted by officers, soldiers, and standing militia members as they moved around and underwent health examinations. For comrades meeting again after years apart, stories of present-day life, together with memories of wartime combat and imprisonment, gave the gathering the warmth of a family reunion.
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Medical personnel distribute free medicines to policy beneficiaries in Con Dao special zone. |
One of the program’s key activities was a seminar on “Early recognition and proper management of stroke.” Medical experts provided instruction on identifying warning signs of stroke and preventing risk factors, while also conducting atrial fibrillation screening, blood pressure checks, and basic health assessments. Participants received advice on health conditions, nutrition, exercise, and the proper use of medication.
For those who endured war and imprisonment and are now facing age-related health problems, such dedicated medical care was a practical expression of gratitude and concern for people who made remarkable contribution and sacrifices for the country.
As part of the program, the organizing panel visited three families of wounded soldiers and martyrs’ relatives on the island, bringing care, responsibility, and heartfelt support to each home.
Among those visited was 93-year-old Nguyen Xuan Vien, a former Con Dao political prisoner. He vividly recalled the beatings and the unyielding spirit of himself and his comrades more than half a century ago. In the former prisoner’s eyes was the joy of seeing the peaceful and renewed Con Dao of today - the very future that he and his fellow prisoners had longed for before national reunification. Holding the delegation members’ hands tightly, Vien was deeply moved by the care shown to policy beneficiaries. For a man who has lived for nearly a century, perhaps the simplest joy is knowing that his comrades and the years they spent fighting and sacrificing have never been forgotten by younger generations.
During the program, the organizing panel presented 350 gifts to veterans, wounded soldiers, sick soldiers, national contributors, former political prisoners, and poor households, as well as 73 gifts worth VND 1 million each to wounded soldiers and policy families.
Ten gifts of VND 10 million each were also presented to help veterans develop livelihood models and increase their income.
One recipient was Pham Quyet Thang, a wounded soldier with a 61% disability rating, who currently rents about 400 square meters of land to raise pigs, chickens, and ducks. The small farm is his main income, but several facilities have deteriorated and need repairs for him to continue working.
Veteran Nguyen Van Tai and his family, meanwhile, have earned a living for years by collecting scrap metal. Despite recurring illness and financial hardship, he continues working to cover daily expenses.
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The organizing panel presents gifts to wounded soldiers, sick soldiers, and martyrs’ families. |
For Thang, Tai, and other veterans facing difficult circumstances, the VND 10 million gifts provide not only better conditions to sustain their livelihoods, but also meaningful encouragement to keep moving forward with confidence.
Joining hands to pay gratitude
During the event, Major General Doan Xuan Bo, Editor-in-Chief of the People’s Army Newspaper, stressed that Con Dao is a sacred place, where every site and historical relic recalls the immense sacrifices of generations of revolutionary soldiers and patriots.
He said the participating units had come together to organize the program to express gratitude and responsibility. Although the modest gifts and healthcare activities could not reach everyone and many wishes remained unfulfilled, the program clearly reflected the affection and responsibility of today’s generation toward those who sacrificed for national independence and freedom.
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Major General Doan Xuan Bo speaks at the program. |
He added that the program also affirmed that the patriotic revolutionary tradition and steadfast faith in the Party and the regime remain strong, contributing to motivating younger generations to continue striving and live up to the sacrifices of the predecessors.
Representing the participating units, Ngo Quoc Bao, Senior Director of the Long Chau Pharmacy and Vaccination System, said taking part in the program helped staff better understand the historical significance, hardships, and steadfastness of previous generations at what was once known as the “hell on earth.”
He noted that the experience helped deepen their sense of gratitude and responsibility toward the community and national development. The health examinations and consultations also helped island residents improve their knowledge of disease prevention and take a more proactive approach to caring for their health.
Amid the lively atmosphere ahead of National Day on September 2, the “Journey of Gratitude - For a Healthy Viet Nam” program left a lasting impression of gratitude and the time-honored tradition of “When drinking water, remember its source.”
On a land once marked by immense suffering and loss, the care shown by reporters-soldiers, officers and soldiers of the Ho Chi Minh City Military Command, and participating units toward national contributors made the August days even more meaningful, helping ensure that the tradition of gratitude continues to be preserved and passed on to future generations.
Translated by Minh Anh