Soldiers join a rehearsal for the parade in HCM City on April 30. — VNA/VNS Photo Lê Xuân

HCM CITY — More than 13,000 people are expected to join a grand military and civilian parade in HCM City on April 30 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South and national reunification (April 30, 1975 – 2025).

The event will commence at 8am, featuring a military parade organised by the Ministry of National Defence and the Ministry of Public Security, along with a civilian march overseen by the municipal authorities. In addition to 11 marching contingents as per central directives, the city has proposed the inclusion of an overseas Vietnamese group.

Earlier, the Ministry of National Defence and the HCM City People’s Committee conducted a site survey and agreed on a draft commemoration programme. The parade will take place along Lê Duẩn Street in District 1, featuring a 21-gun salute accompanied by the national anthem, an aerial display by the air force, and a ceremonial vehicle procession.

Deputy Chairwoman of the municipal People's Committee Trần Thị Diệu Thuý unveiled that the city would lead the coordination of eight major activities, including a tribute to fallen heroes at the local martyrs’ cemetery, national and municipal-level scientific conferences, thematic exhibitions in Hanoi and HCM City, and live television broadcasts of cultural, artistic, and sporting events. — VNS