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Party, State leaders and distinguished international guests present at the grand ceremony |
The event is jointly organized by the Party Central Committee, the National Assembly, the President, the Government, the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee, and Ho Chi Minh City.
Present at the grand ceremony are Party General Secretary To Lam, State President Luong Cuong, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Chairman of the National Assembly Tran Thanh Man together with other incumbent and former Party, State, and VFF leaders, veteran revolutionaries, heroic Vietnamese mothers, Heroes of the People's Armed Forces, Heroes of Labor, along with thousands of guests representing all walks of life across the country.
Also attending the ceremony are around 20 international delegations, including three high-ranking delegations from Laos, Cambodia, and Cuba, led by General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith, President of the Cambodian People’s Party and and President of the Cambodian Senate Hun Sen, and Vice President of Cuba Salvador Valdes Mesa; and four at the ministerial level or higher; and representatives from over 15 political parties across continents. Representatives from more than 20 sister cities of Ho Chi Minh City and many foreign individuals who contributed to movements opposing the war in Vietnam are also present.
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The grand ceremony is started with a flag-saluting ceremony |
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A 21-gun salute at Bach Dang Wharf |
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Party General Secretary To Lam delivers an opening remarks. |
At the event, Party General Secretary To Lam delivers an opening remarks emphasizing the glorious struggle of Vietnam for national independence and freedom and the country’s striving to rise in the new era.
In his speech, General Secretary To Lam expressed his deep gratitude to President Ho Chi Minh, the generations who sacrificed for the national revolutionary cause and national reunification, and international friends who supported the country and people of Vietnam.
According to the Party chief, the April 30 victory marked the glorious end of the 30-year struggle for independence, freedom and reunification of the nation, ending more than half a century of domination by old and new colonialism. More importantly, it brought the country into a new era, the era of national independence and socialism.
That victory was considered a shining symbol of revolutionary heroism, a victory of justice, a victory of Vietnamese mettle, spirit and wisdom, of ardent patriotism, aspiration for independence, freedom and national reunification with the truth "Vietnam is one, the Vietnamese people are one." This realized President Ho Chi Minh's most earnest wish of completely liberating the South, unifying the country, so that "The North and the South can reunite as one family."
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Major General Tran Ngoc Tho speaks at the event. |
Speaking at the event, representing forces participating in the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign, Major General Tran Ngoc Tho, aged 79, former Chief of Staff of Military Region 7, proudly confirms that his generation and he completed the combat mission, creating premise for the country to develop. He expressed his belief in the younger generations will exert great efforts to develop a prosperous and happy Vietnam.
On the occasion, the Party Committee, authorities and people of Ho Chi Minh City is honored with the Hero of Labor title.
Before the official ceremony kick-started at 7 a.m. by a flag-saluting ceremony accompanied by a 21-gun salute at Bach Dang Wharf, there is be an impressive artistic mass program performed by cadets, troops, and artists.
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Artistic performance at the event |
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Local people and tourists enjoy the important day and the grand ceremony. |
The highlight of the ceremony is a grand parade which is started with the demonstration of helicopters and fighter jets from the heroic air forces.
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Vietnamese and international leaders at the event |
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Formations of Vietnamese forces at the parade |
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The formation from the Chinese military |
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The formation from the Lao military |
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The formation from the Cambodian military |
Over the past days, more than 13,000 people, including officers, soldiers, and people have trained intensively for the grand ceremony. Formations from the Vietnam People’s Army, the People’s Public Security, the Chinese, Laos, and Cambodian militaries, and Vietnamese civilian forces have rehearsed to ensure the success of the important event of the nation.
Fifty years ago, the triumph of the General Offensive and Uprising in Spring 1975 with the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign as a highlight, resonated worldwide. The victory on April 30, 1975 stood as a heroic anthem of Vietnam’s struggle for national liberation under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President Ho Chi Minh. It marked not only a triumph over the world’s most powerful force at the time but also a shining milestone in the global fight against imperialism. That victory is not only Vietnam’s, but also the common joy of the peoples fighting for justice.
We will keep you updated on the grand ceremony!