About 40,000 spectators gathered at Van Phuc Urban Area, while tens of thousands more watched the program on large screens along Nguyen Hue Walking Street in Ho Chi Minh City on August 23.
The concert, “The Fatherland in Our Hearts,” was jointly organized by Nhan Dan Newspaper and the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee ahead of Vietnam’s 81st National Day on September 2.
The flag-raising ceremony in the rain, with soldiers attending the program. Photo: PV
The event opened with a solemn flag-raising ceremony.
The “Determined to Win” Military Flag was carried by a 34-member honor guard representing the 34 soldiers of the Vietnam Propaganda Unit for National Liberation, the predecessor of the Vietnam People’s Army. As the national flag was raised, delegates, artists and spectators stood together to sing the national anthem.
“We’re approaching sacred milestones: the 100th founding anniversary of the Party in 2030 and the 100th founding anniversary of the nation in 2045,” said Le Quoc Minh, Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper.
He said the country faced challenges ahead but would overcome them because “we possess something truly special: the homeland in the heart of every individual.”
Spectators brave the rain, waving national flags and joining the program. Photo: PV
The program unfolded through music, historical footage and large-scale performances, revisiting Vietnam’s struggle for independence and national reunification while looking toward aspirations for peace, development and progress.
Soldiers, police officers, female guerrillas and Vietnamese personnel serving with United Nations peacekeeping missions joined the performances, portraying the changing role of Vietnamese citizens in wartime and peacetime.
By combining historical memories with contemporary music and stage technology, the concert offered a modern expression of patriotism, connecting generations and bringing national pride closer to today’s audiences, particularly young people.
Translated by DO HUONG
VNQD