In her remarks, Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Pham Thi Trung recalled the incident and affirmed the determination of local authorities and residents in building a prosperous homeland.
The massacre became a deep and lasting pain for the Vietnamese people and people of conscience around the world, she said, adding the killings shocked global public opinion and sparked a strong wave of protests against the war in Viet Nam, including those within the US itself.
Today, the site where the massacre occurred has been preserved as a national historical relic, keeping evidence of the war crime. It has also become a destination of particular interest for both domestic and international visitors travelling to Quang Ngai.
More than half a century later, Son My has revived and developed alongside Quang Ngai province and the nation in the aspiration to build a prosperous, civilised and happy life. The people of Son My, who still bear the pain and scars left by the war, have chosen an extraordinary path: forgiving without forgetting, and closing the door to the past and looking to the future.
At the ceremony, delegates observed a minute of silence and offered incense and flowers at the Son My Monument.
