Some one thousand war veterans took part in a walk on the morning of September 21st, as part of the “Day for World Peace” initiated by the United Nations.
The walk was held at Thong Nhat Park, Hanoi by the Vietnam War Veterans’ Central Committee and the Hanoi Municipal People’s Committee.
Participants, including many elderly veterans, who had fought for national freedom and independence, now gathered in a walk for peace.
Nguyen Dang Canh, a 69-year-old veteran, said, “We [Vietnamese] enjoy peace, but many other people in different areas in the world are now suffering war and violence. Our activity is part of the worldwide mobilization for peace and should be viewed as a peace message to all human beings.”
Tran Thuong Gia, a handicapped veteran who fought at the Quang Tri front, said, “Every one should have the right to enjoy peace and no one can deny that right. We used to be soldiers, but that did not mean we wanted war; rather we fought for peace. We are participating in the walk with a desire for permanent peace in Vietnam and in the world as a whole.”
Apart from Vietnamese war veterans, the walk also drew a large number of Vietnamese people from various organizations and businesses and foreigners from embassies and international organizations in Hanoi.
At the event, organizations, businesses and people raised funds for charity. According to officials from VWVA (the Vietnam War Veterans Association), the organization, in coordination with state agencies, other social organizations and businesses will continue to launch other events to help war veterans, martyrs’ families undergoing economic difficulties, poor people, AO victims and disabled people, and will also strengthen friendly ties and solidarity with handicapped war veterans’ organizations from countries, as well as other international organizations, for the sake of peace for the whole world.
Reported by Thu Nguyen