Deputy Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan and leaders of the Party and State attending the ceremony

Attending the programme was Politburo Member, Permanent Member of the Party Secretariat Truong Tan Sang, Head of the Vietnamese Department of Propaganda and Education To Huy Rua; Deputy Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan together with leading representative of central ministries and agencies; Laos Ambassador to Vietnam; representative of leaders of Vientiane Capital and the Laos central and southern provinces. On the side of Quang Binh province, there was Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council Luong Ngoc Binh, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Phan Lam Phuong; representative of the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council, People's Committee and Vietnamese Fatherland Front Committee along with leading representative of departments and branches at provincial level.

Comrade Truong Tan Sang and comrade To Huy Rua together with leaders of the Party and State attending the ceremony

In the opening speech at the ceremony, Province Chairman Phan Lam Phuong reviewed the sacrifices and hardships of martyrs, veterans, volunteer soldiers and local people in opening the strategic artery through the Truong Son Maintain range. He stressed that the 50th anniversary of the opening of Ho Chi Minh Trail was an opportunity for the people nationwide in general and Quang Binh people in particular to review and bring into play the tradition of patriotism, the will of independence and self-strengthening, overcoming all difficulties and hardships, heroic sacrifices and great contributions of soldiers, youth volunteers and all classes of people. Concurrently, the programme aims to express the deep thanks of the people and the nation for the contribution made by the young soldiers and female volunteers who sacrificed their youth and life on the Truong Son Trail, contributing to educating young people of the previous generation’s sacrifices for national liberation and to increasing their pride and love for the homeland.

A performance to depict building bridge and opening Truong Son Road in the fire and sword

Participants were treated to a special art programme “The Legend of a Road” performed by more than 300 professional and amateur artists. The performance depicted a glorious period for the Vietnamese people and army in opening the strategic artery through the Truong Son Maintain range, the great support by the north to the south, and the victory of the historic Ho Chi Minh campaign, culminating in the total liberation of the south and national unification in 1975.

The programme “The Legend of a Road” made a strong impression on the audiances

In order to acknowledge great contributions of volunteer soldiers, acting on State President's authority, Truong Tan Sang, Politburo member and permanent member of the Party Secretariat, presented the title of the Hero of People’s Armed Forces posthumously to the collective of 8 volunteer soldiers of Company 217, Construction Board 67 of Army Corps 559, recognising their exploits in opening the artery.

Comrade Truong Tan Sang Đ/c Trương Tấn Sang presenting the title of the Hero of People’s Armed Forces posthumously to the collective of 8 volunteer soldiers of Company 217, Construction Board 67 of Army Corps 559

Reported by N.H - Translated by N.Y