Olivier Parriaux and Bernard Bachelard are two of the three Swiss citizens who raised the flag of the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam atop the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on January 18-19, 1969 to protest the war and support peace for the Vietnamese people. The event inspired peace-loving people worldwide and served as a tremendous encouragement to the progressive youth movements demanding an end to the unjust war in Vietnam.

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Olivier Parriaux recalling the story 55 years ago

Speaking at the event, Ho Chi Minh City’s leader expressed the heartfelt gratitude to international friends, including Olivier Parriaux, Bernard Bachelard, and their teammates, who supported Vietnam’s fight for freedom and reunification.

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Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh municipal Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen speaks at the event.

Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh municipal Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen said that he had read the story about the Swiss citizens and held deep admiration and respect for this courageous act. Their action of hoisting the flag of the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam atop the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris carried great symbolic meaning. It represented the dedication, sacrifices, and contribution of international friends to the fight for peace, justice, and Vietnamese people’s struggle for peace, independence, unity, and territorial integrity.

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Nguyen Van Nen hands over the Ho Chi Minh City Badge to Parriaux and Bachelard.

Mr. Nen emphasized that now Vietnamese people are enjoying peace, but they always bear in mind and appreciate the contribution of international friends who persistently fought for peace in Vietnam. He affirmed that the noble actions of the three Swiss citizens would serve as an inspiration for young Vietnamese to delve deeper into the heroic history and righteous struggles for independence and peace of Vietnam and the world.

Translated by Tran Hoai