Lighting candles of gratitude to nearly 11,000 martyrs in Nghe An

On the evening of July 26, at the Vietnam - Laos Martyrs' Cemetery, Anh Son commune, Nghe An province, the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union chaired and coordinated with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Nghe An province and the Vietnam - Laos Friendship Association to organize a ceremony to light candles in gratitude to national-level heroic martyrs.

The program is organized to celebrate the 79th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs' Day (July 27, 1947 - July 27, 2026), expressing the morality of "When drinking water, remember the source", "Gratitude" towards generations who sacrificed for the cause of national liberation, construction and defense of the Fatherland.

Attending the program were Ms. Vo Thi Anh Xuan - Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Vice President of the State;

Members of the Party Central Committee: Nguyen Dac Vinh - Member of the Party Central Committee, Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee for Culture and Society, Chairman of the Vietnam - Laos Friendship Association; Dang Van Dung - Deputy Head of the Central Internal Affairs Commission; Nguyen Khac Than - Secretary of the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee; Bui Quang Huy - First Secretary of the Central Youth Union.

Also attending were Mr. Vu Chien Thang - Deputy Minister of Home Affairs; Mr. Nguyen Xuan Hung - Vice President of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor.

The program also had the participation of representatives of the Lao Embassy in Vietnam, Hua Phan Provincial Youth Union, Xieng Khouang Provincial Youth Union, Bolikhamxay Provincial Youth Union and representatives of families of people with meritorious services, union members, youth and people.

Restoring 100 martyrs' portraits

In a solemn atmosphere, delegates performed the ritual of ringing bells, offering flowers, and incense at the Memorial; saluting the flag and observing a minute of silence to commemorate the heroic martyrs, compatriots, and comrades who sacrificed for the cause of national liberation, national defense, and fulfilling noble international obligations.

Speaking at the ceremony, leaders of the Central Youth Union expressed their deep gratitude to the generations of fathers and brothers who spared no youth, sacrificed for the independence and freedom of the nation; and affirmed that Vietnamese youth continue to promote the tradition of "When drinking water, remember the source", "Gratitude".

After the ceremony at the Memorial, leaders, delegates, relatives of martyrs, union members, youth and people came to the graves, offered incense, and lit candles to commemorate those who sacrificed.

At the program, the Organizing Committee presented 79 gifts to wounded soldiers, sick soldiers and families of people with meritorious services to the revolution.

At the request of the Central Youth Union, the Skyline youth group restored with technology number 100 martyr's portraits to present to families. In which, representatives of 27 families directly received portraits of relatives and gifts to encourage and visit at the ceremony.

The restoration of the memorial photo contributes to helping families preserve the image and memories of loved ones, bringing the image of heroic martyrs to be more closely present in family and community life.

The Vietnam - Laos Martyrs' Cemetery is the only cemetery in Vietnam named after two countries, gathering nearly 11,000 graves of cadres, soldiers, volunteer soldiers and Vietnamese experts who sacrificed on the Lao battlefield.

Each tomb not only marks a life, a youth dedicated to the independence and freedom of the Fatherland, but also is a testament to the fighting solidarity, faithful and steadfast affection between the two peoples of Vietnam - Laos.

More than 10 billion VND for gratitude activities

At the same time as the national program took place in Nghe An, on the evening of July 26, Youth Union levels across the country simultaneously organized candle lighting ceremonies at martyrs' cemeteries, steles, towers, temples, memorials and monuments commemorating martyrs.

In particular, activities are organized at cemeteries that have just received and buried the remains of martyrs who were searched and repatriated in the Campaign "500 days and nights to promote the search, repatriation and identification of martyrs' remains".

The total value of resources deployed by Youth Union levels for gratitude and social security activities on July 26 reached more than 10 billion VND.

From 2007 to now, the candle lighting ceremony of gratitude has been maintained and organized annually by Youth Union levels on the occasion of War Invalids and Martyrs' Day. Over nearly two decades, the activity has become a deep gratitude ceremony, contributing to educating tradition, fostering patriotism, living ideals and responsibility of the young generation.

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