Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyễn Minh Tâm (fourth, left) and Standing Committee member of the Vientiane Provincial Party Committee Lammay Koutlavong, along with other delegates, offer incense in commemoration of the heroic martyrs at the Lao-Vietnamese Joint Forces Memorial Site in Keun village, Laos, on Friday. — VNA/VNS Photo Xuân Tú

VIENTIANE — The Vietnamese Embassy in Laos held a wreath- and incense-offering ceremony at the Laos–Việt Nam combatant alliance relic site in Keun village of Thoulakhom District, Vientiane Province, on Friday to mark the 79th anniversary of Việt Nam's War Invalids and Martyrs' Day (July 27, 1947 – July 27,2026).

Among those attending were Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyễn Minh Tâm and his spouse; Lammay Koutlavong, Standing Member of the Vientiane provincial Party Committee; representatives of Lao authorities and relevant agencies; officials from the Embassy and other representative offices of Việt Nam in Laos; as well as members of the Vietnamese community, veterans' organisations, the site's management board and local authorities.

In a solemn ceremony, participants laid wreaths, offered incense and observed a minute's silence in honour of the Vietnamese and Lao martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the national liberation, independence and freedom of both countries.

The commemorative event reflected Việt Nam's enduring tradition of honouring those who gave their lives for the nation while reinforcing the values of patriotism and gratitude among staff of Vietnamese representative missions and the Vietnamese community in Laos.

It also underscored the two countries' shared commitment to preserving their revolutionary heritage.

The ceremony further highlighted the enduring great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation and strategic cohesion between Việt Nam and Laos.

The Laos-Việt Nam combatant alliance relic site commemorates the victory of January 22, 1946, and honours 28 Vietnamese and Lao soldiers who fell during a joint assault on the French stronghold of Phone He in Keun village.

The battle remains a landmark in the early military cooperation between the two neighbours and symbolises the solidarity that underpinned their successful struggles for national liberation. — VNA/VNS