Party General Secretary and State President Tô Lâm attended the ceremony on April 29 to release doves – symbol of peace – on the Hiền Lương Bridge that once stood as the divide between North and South Việt Nam during the war, on the 51st anniversary of the liberation of the South and national reunification (April 30, 1975–2026). — VNA/VNS Photo

QUẢNG TRỊ — The central province of Quảng Trị on Wednesday held a flag-raising ceremony at the Hiền Lương–Bến Hải special national relic site to mark the 51st anniversary of the liberation of the South and national reunification (April 30, 1975–2026), with the attendance of Party General Secretary and State President Tô Lâm.

Also attending were Politburo members Nguyễn Duy Ngọc, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Chairman of its Organisation Commission; Lê Minh Trí, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Chairman of its Commission for Internal Affairs; General Phan Văn Giang, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence; and General Lương Tam Quang, Minister of Public Security; along with other Party Central Committee members, leaders of the Government and National Assembly, representatives of ministries, central agencies, organisations, the Military Region 4 Command, Quảng Trị Province, and a large number of local residents and visitors.

At the ceremony, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Nguyễn Văn Phương said that although the war had long passed, memories of those heroic and tragic years remained vivid in the hearts of all Vietnamese, especially the people of Quảng Trị.

He stressed that Hiền Lương–Bến Hải is forever a sacred symbol of the will for national reunification, the aspiration for peace, and unwavering faith in the day when the North and the South would be reunited as one family.

The provincial leader also called for remembrance of late President Hồ Chí Minh and deep gratitude to Heroic Vietnamese Mothers, fallen heroes, families of national contributors, war invalids, people and soldiers across the country who had devoted and sacrificed themselves for peace, national independence and the happiness of the people.

Phương said that Quảng Trị today, with its new development space, is rising strongly and becoming a land rich in potential and advantages, opening up new opportunities for growth.

The flag raising ceremony on the Hiền Lương Bridge on April 29. — VNA/VNS Photo

Following the ceremony, General Secretary and President Lâm, together with other Party and State leaders and representatives of ministries, sectors and Quảng Trị, met with former armed public security officers who served along the former demarcation line, as well as local students. They together released doves on the historic Hiền Lương Bridge.

The Bến Hải River, located along the 17th Parallel, once acted as the temporary demarcation line between North and South Việt Nam during the war, yet it took 21 years for the people of the two regions to reunite.

Spanning the river, Hiền Lương Bridge stands as a witness to the Vietnamese people’s fierce but glorious struggle and reflects their enduring desire for peace and belief in final victory. Historical relic sites located on both banks of the river have been recognised as special national historical relic ones.

Quảng Trị was one of the localities most heavily devastated during the war by thousands of tonnes of bombs and shells. The province is also known for the fierce 81-day-and-night battle at the ancient Quảng Trị Citadel. — VNA/VNS

Party General Secretary and State President Tô Lâm and a high-ranking delegation on April 29 attended the flag-raising ceremony at the Hiền Lương–Bến Hải special national relic site to mark the 51st anniversary of the liberation of the South and national reunification (April 30, 1975–2026. — VNA/VNS Photo