Grand ceremony to pray for the souls of martyrs at the Vietnam - Laos Martyrs Cemetery

Attending the ceremony were comrades: Tran Thanh Man - Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front; Nguyen Dinh Khang - Member of the Party Central Committee, Chairman of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor; Lieutenant General Tran Vo Dung - Political Commissar of the Military Region 4 Command.

On the side of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, there was Most Venerable Thich Thanh Nhieu - Vice President of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, Head of the Executive Board of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, Nghe An province.

On the side of Nghe An province, there were comrades: Thai Thanh Quy - Alternate member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee; Le Hong Vinh - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Vo Thi Minh Sinh - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Chairman of the Provincial Fatherland Front Committee.

Before the ceremony, delegates burned incense in memory of President Ho Chi Minh at the shrine in the grounds of the Vietnam - Laos International Martyrs' Cemetery. Photo: Pham Bang

The delegation offered flowers to commemorate the heroic martyrs at the Vietnam - Laos International Martyrs Cemetery. Photo: Pham Bang

Through two resistance wars to help Laos fight against French colonialism and American imperialism, the Vietnamese volunteer army and military experts on international missions in Laos have always stood shoulder to shoulder and together with their friends, fought against enemy sweeps, and built and consolidated organizations, governments and built Laos.

Among the thousands of volunteer soldiers and military experts, many have sacrificed their lives in Laos. Among them, thousands of martyrs have been gathered at the Vietnam - Laos International Martyrs' Cemetery. This is also the largest cemetery gathering martyrs of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who fought and sacrificed their lives in Laos.

Delegates attending the Great Requiem and Memorial Service for the Heroic Martyrs. Photo: Pham Bang

The ceremony took place in a solemn atmosphere, with the participation of hundreds of monks, nuns, Buddhists and local people. Photo: Pham Bang

The Vietnam - Laos International Martyrs' Cemetery is where the graves of more than 11,000 officers, volunteer soldiers and military experts from 47 provinces and cities across the country who died on the battlefield in Laos are gathered.

Currently, the Vietnam - Laos International Martyrs Cemetery has about 6,900 graves with unknown names and hometowns and 570 graves with names but unknown hometowns. Here, most of the martyrs are from Nghe An, Thanh Hoa, Hai Phong, Nam Dinh, Hai Duong, Bac Giang...

Most Venerable Thich Thanh Nhieu - Vice President of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, Head of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in Nghe An province read a speech commemorating the heroic martyrs at the Vietnam - Laos International Martyrs' Cemetery. Photo: Pham Bang

Comrade Nguyen Huu Sang - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Secretary of the District Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Committee of Anh Son district spoke at the ceremony. Photo: Pham Bang

The memorial service is a noble gesture, demonstrating the morality of remembering the source of water and showing gratitude to the heroic martyrs who sacrificed their youth and blood for the independence and freedom of the nation, for the happiness of the people, for the noble cause of national and international liberation.

This is also an opportunity to review the heroic history of the nation in the long struggle against foreign invaders, to honor the heroic and indomitable examples of generations of predecessors and to educate the patriotic tradition of the Vietnamese people to the young generation today and tomorrow.

Attending the ceremony, leaders at all levels and delegates expressed their deep gratitude for the dedication and sacrifice of heroic martyrs for the cause of national liberation and noble international duty.

Central leaders and leaders of Nghe An province offer incense to commemorate heroic martyrs. Photo: Pham Bang

At the same time, I promise before the souls of martyrs that the Party Committee, government and people of Nghe An in general and Anh Son district in particular will pay attention to and implement well the policies for wounded soldiers, Vietnamese Heroic Mothers and families with meritorious services to the revolution.

The ceremony took place with traditional rituals including offering incense and flowers to the Memorial; requiem; offering incense to pay homage to the souls of President Ho Chi Minh and the heroic martyrs; commemorating and praying for the souls of the heroic martyrs who heroically sacrificed for the independence and freedom of the nation, for the noble international duty to be liberated...

Thousands of candles, flowers and incense sticks were offered by Buddhists and people from all over the country to show gratitude according to the Vietnamese people's philosophy of "remembering the source of the water you drink".