April 30, 2019 | 20:53 (GMT+7)
Flag-raising ceremony in Quang Tri marks National Reunification Day
A flag-raising ceremony was held at the Hien Luong-Ben Hai historical relic site in Vinh Linh district, the Central province of Quang Tri, on April 30 to mark the 44th anniversary of the Liberation of South Vietnam and National Reunification Day (April 30, 1945).
As part of the national reunification festival co-organized by Nhan dan (People’s) daily, the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) and the provincial Party Committee and People’s Committee, the event also aims to celebrate the 65th anniversary of Dien Bien Phu victory which ended French colonial rule in Vietnam (1954-2019) and the 47th anniversary of the liberation of Quang Tri (May 1, 1972).
The event was attended by Politburo member and Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh, Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee (CPVCC) and Head of the CPVCC’s Commission for Internal Affairs Phan Dinh Trac, Nhan Dan Editor-in-Chief and Chairman of the Vietnam Journalists’ Association Thuan Huu, and VNA General Director Nguyen Duc Loi, among others.
Hien Luong Bridge across the Ben Hai River, which divided North and South Vietnam during wartime, is 178 m long but it took 21 years for Vietnamese people from the North and the South to be united. The bridge is the witness to the Vietnamese people's fierce but glorious struggle and a reflection of their desire for and belief in victory. Historical relic sites located on both banks of the river have been recognized as special national historical relics.
Quang Tri was one of the most devastated localities during the war by thousands of tons of bombs and shells. The province was also well known for the fierce 81-day-and-night battle at the ancient Quang Tri Citadel.
In his opening remarks, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Nguyen Van Hung highlighted major achievements Quang Tri has recorded over the past years across spheres, from economy to social affairs and national defense and security.
The flag-raising ceremony was followed by a Bai Choi singing performance at the Southern bank of of the Hien Luong - Ben Hai special national historical relic site, a boat race on the Ben Hai River and an inaugural ceremony of the project on upgrading the Southern bank of the site.
Delegates paid tribute to fallen soldiers at the National Road 9 War Cemetery, Truong Son National Martyrs' Cemetery.
Source: VNA