Municipal leaders, representatives of Military Region 7, senior dignitaries of the VBS, Buddhist monks, nuns, followers and local residents attend the ceremony on Sunday. VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY – The Việt Nam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) chapter in HCM City on Sunday held a memorial and requiem ceremony for heroes, martyrs, soldiers and patriotic civilians who lost their lives during the 1968 Tết General Offensive and Uprising and were buried at the former Đô Thành Cemetery, now Lê Thị Riêng Cultural Park.

The event was attended by municipal leaders, representatives of Military Region 7, senior dignitaries of the VBS, Buddhist monks, nuns, followers and local residents.

Participants offered incense and observed a solemn minute of silence in remembrance of those who sacrificed their lives during one of the most significant campaigns in Việt Nam’s struggle for national independence and reunification.

The two-day ceremony, held on June 13–14, featured traditional Buddhist chanting rituals and requiem services dedicated to the souls of fallen soldiers and patriotic compatriots.

Venerable Thích Thanh Phong, Vice Chairman of the VBS Executive Council and standing deputy head of the executive board of the VBS chapter in HCM City, said the event aimed to honour the sacrifices and contributions of soldiers and patriots who devoted their lives to the revolutionary cause and the defence of the nation.

The ceremony also sought to educate younger generations of Buddhists and city residents about Việt Nam’s revolutionary tradition while promoting patriotism, solidarity and a sense of responsibility for national development.

In recent years, based on information gathered from domestic and international sources, Steering Committee 515 of HCM City has conducted research and verification and initially identified several suspected mass graves containing the remains of soldiers who fell during the 1968 Tết General Offensive and Uprising in the area now occupied by Lê Thị Riêng Cultural Park.

Authorities have developed plans to continue collecting information, searching for remains, conducting exhumation and identifying martyrs so that they can be returned to their hometowns and reburied with full honours.

The 1968 Tết General Offensive and Uprising, also known as the Mậu Thân General Offensive and Uprising, was one of the largest campaigns during the two-decade-long American War in Việt Nam. — VNA/VNS