Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Lê Thị Thu Hằng addresses the press conference on August 22. VNA/VNS Photo Minh Quyết

HÀ NỘI High-level delegations from Belarus, Cambodia, Cuba, China, Laos and Russia have officially confirmed their participation in Việt Nam’s 80th anniversary of the August Revolution on August 19 and National Day on September 2.

The announcement was made by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Lê Thị Thu Hằng during a press briefing held on August 22, which also provided details about the upcoming Exhibition on National Achievements: 80 Years of Independence, Freedom and Happiness, as well as commemorative events marking these historic milestones.

Some delegations are expected to engage in bilateral activities during the visit, said the deputy minister.

“The 80th anniversary of the successful August Revolution and National Day on September 2 holds significance not only for the people of Việt Nam but also for progressive people around the world,” Hằng said.

“And it's not just Vietnamese history; world history also records the profound significance of the August Revolution, which served as a powerful source of inspiration for national liberation movements in colonised countries.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also received confirmation from over 20 delegations representing political parties and eight defence delegations from many different countries.

The ministry has also invited foreign journalists to attend and cover the celebrations as well as related activities, enabling them to “witness firsthand the achievements of the Vietnamese people and share them with the global community,” Hằng said.

It would be the first time that overseas Vietnamese will participate in the grand military parade and public procession on September 2. According to the deputy minister, a group of 50 overseas Vietnamese currently residing in 18 countries and territories will take part in the public procession.

"Overseas Vietnamese are an inseparable part of the nation, a vital force whose contributions go beyond material and spiritual support, extending even to sacrifices of blood and life,” she said.

In addition, on this grand occasion, the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations has invited around 100 international delegates who have supported Việt Nam over the past 80 years to attend the celebrations.

Six parade formations

As for the military parade and public procession scheduled for September 2, Major General Tống Văn Thanh, Deputy Director of the Department of Information and Training under the General Department of Politics of the Việt Nam People's Army, said that six principal formations will participate in the event: traditional torchbearers; ceremonial artillery units; air force flypast formations; marching contingents; stationary formations; and teams responsible for creating symbolic images and lettering displays.

Major General Tống Văn Thanh, Deputy Director of the Department of Information and Training under the General Department of Politics of the Việt Nam People's Army provides a detailed overview of military formations for the National Day parade. VNA/VNS Photo Minh Quyết

In total, 43 marching contingents will represent the people’s armed forces, comprising 26 units from the military and 17 from the public security forces.

According to the Major General, the Ministry of National Defence had invited military delegations from China, Laos, Russia and Cambodia, and all have confirmed their attendance.

Military personnel from Russia, Laos and Cambodia arrived in Việt Nam and attended the first full-scale rehearsal for the 80th National Day parade at Ba Đình Square on August 21, said Thanh, adding that the Chinese parade contingent is expected to arrive in the country at the end of August.

Major General Thanh said that since early May, the Ministry of National Defence and the Ministry of Public Security have directed training for the forces participating in the grand parade, known as the A80 mission. Four joint rehearsal sessions and five full-scale rehearsals have been conducted.

"The full-scale rehearsal in the evening on August 21 at Ba Đình Square was of high quality, with the participation of all formations and units — except for the Air Force and ceremonial artillery units — as well as three foreign military contingents from Russia, Laos and Cambodia," said Thanh.

The first full-scale rehearsal of the armed forces taking place at Ba Đình Square on August 21. VNA/VNS Photo Tuấn Anh

The second full-scale rehearsal of the armed forces took place at 8pm on August 24. The official State-level preliminary review is scheduled for 8pm on August 27, followed by the final State-level rehearsal at 6.30am on August 30. The official ceremony will start at 6.30am on September 2 at the historic Ba Đình Square.

Thirteen public procession formations

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Tạ Quang Đông said at the press briefing that since August 12, the ministry, in collaboration with the Capital Military Command, have trained 13 mass procession formations, each consisting of 160 participants. They also joined the first full-scale rehearsal at Ba Đình Square on August 21.

For the 13 mass procession formations, a new staging technique will be applied this year, allowing the groups to form artistic and visually striking patterns when viewed from above, Đông said.

A highlight of this year’s ceremony will be a symbolic formation of 4,600 people, positioned along the grandstand opposite the Hồ Chí Minh Mausoleum. These two largest formations will create two iconic shapes. Organisers said they hope this visual display will bring a fresh and distinctive element compared to previous parades.

In the final 15-minute artistic segment, nearly 2,000 performers of various ages will take part. The centerpiece will be a medley performance featuring 80 artists, athletes, beauty queens, celebrities and officers from the police and military, all singing together in the closing act.

On the evening of September 1, a special cultural programme will also take place at Mỹ Đình Stadium, featuring nearly 4,000 performers — making it the largest show ever staged for the occasion. The programme will bring together a wide array of artists from various genres to perform traditional and contemporary music. VNS