Speaking to the resident correspondent of Nhan Dan Newspaper in Cambodia, Sim Chy, Chairman of the Khmer-Vietnam Association in Cambodia, emphasised that although they live and work far from their homeland, the Vietnamese expatriate community in Cambodia always remembers and turns towards their roots, especially the glorious traditions of the Vietnamese people in the cause of building and defending their beloved Fatherland. The Vietnamese and people of Vietnamese descent in Cambodia always remember the support and care of the Party, the state, and their compatriots in Vietnam during times of hardship and adversity.
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| Sim Chy, Chairman of the Khmer-Vietnam Association in Cambodia. |
According to Mr Sim Chy, since its founding, the Khmer-Vietnam Association in Cambodia has strived to bring the community together to hold rallies and commemorations of major national holidays such as the Lunar New Year (Tet), the Hung Kings’ Commemoration Day, National Reunification Day on April 30, and National Day on September 2. The association also maintains close contact with domestic authorities and frequently receives invitations to send representatives to attend major national celebrations in Vietnam.
In an atmosphere of solemnity and pride, on April 27, the Khmer-Vietnam Association in Cambodia held a formal ceremony in Phnom Penh to mark the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification.
Reflecting on this glorious milestone in the nation’s history, Sim Chy said: “The image of the liberation flag flying atop the Independence Palace on April 30, 1975, has become an eternal symbol of the Vietnamese people’s resilience, indomitable will, and aspiration for peace.”
Following domestic news coverage of the celebrations, Huynh Minh Phu, Chairman of the Khmer-Vietnam Association’s branch in Phnom Penh, expressed deep emotion. He shared that although he and many fellow expatriates could not return home to attend the official ceremony, they still felt the excitement and patriotic pride of this momentous national occasion.
He added that even after 50 years, the lessons of unity, courage, and the enduring aspiration for peace remain forever. Phu and the overseas Vietnamese community take great pride in witnessing their homeland become increasingly prosperous, powerful, and rapidly developed.
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| Huynh Minh Phu, Chairman of the Khmer-Vietnam Association’s branch in Phnom Penh. |
For teacher Thach Thi Lan, Principal of Tan Tien Khmer-Vietnam Friendship Primary School, each Reunification Day (April 30) brings back vivid memories of the nation’s heroic past. She recalled that on April 30, 1975, she was still a schoolgirl and remembered the overwhelming joy and emotion upon hearing the news of victory — feelings that have stayed with her ever since.
Before the complete liberation of the south, Lan was wounded by artillery fire and rescued by a liberation soldier. Upon hearing the victory news, she and her mother rushed to join the crowd of people following the troops, hoping to find her saviour, but sadly, she never did.
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| Thach Thi Lan, Principal of Tan Tien Khmer-Vietnam Friendship Primary School. |
She still remembers women along the roads preparing banh tet and banh u to give to the soldiers as they rested during their march. These vivid memories of the nation’s glorious victory remain etched in her heart, and she continues to pass them down to her students.
