The event was attended by current and former leaders of the Party, State, and Ho Chi Minh City.
The programme recreated wartime memories, the search for fallen soldiers, and the gratitude of the living towards those who sacrificed their lives for the country.
During an exchange, Dr Tran Van Ban, 82, a former military medic who volunteered to help collect samples for identifying martyrs’ remains at Le Thi Rieng Park, shared his story.
“Of the 29 people who set off with me, only two returned. My family had been told I was dead and held memorial rites for me for seven years. When I finally returned home, many mothers of my fallen comrades were still longing for the day their sons would come home. From that moment, I vowed to do everything in my power to find my comrades and bring them home,” he said.
Dr Ban still vividly remembers the promise soldiers made to one another during the war: “When peace comes, whoever survives must bring the remains of their fallen comrades home to their mothers.”
That promise has stayed with him for decades, and even now, at 82, he goes to Le Thi Rieng Park every day to assist search teams.
Painter Le Sa Long also took part, presenting works depicting units searching for and recovering martyrs’ remains.
One of his paintings features flags marking the places where remains were found, a candle lit in remembrance and young soldiers at work.
The artist also devoted particular care to a painting of Nguyen Thi Le, who for decades has carried memories of her husband and a promise she made to him before his death.
Performances by many artists were interspersed with the exchanges, telling the stories of fallen soldiers and the journey to bring their remains to their final resting place.
During the programme, Party and State leaders as well as delegates offered incense and lit candles in tribute to the heroic martyrs.
Ho Chi Minh City will hold a memorial and burial ceremony on the morning of October 14 for 731 martyrs whose remains were recovered at Le Thi Rieng Park.
After the ceremony, the remains will be taken to the Ho Chi Minh City Martyrs’ Cemetery in Long Binh Ward for burial.
