Hundreds of war veterans and relatives of martyrs gathered on the bank of Thach Han River in Quang Tri town on July 10 to float lanterns as tributes to those who laid down their lives to protect Quang Tri Old Citadel.

After candle-burning and lantern floating rituals, the ceremony, attended by Vice State President Nguyen Thi Doan, continued with the offering of a giant book entitled “The Legend of the Quang Tri Old Citadel”, which records the names of citadel heroes and martyrs.

The book, measuring 1m x 0.7m, highlighted the country’s gratitude to more than 4,000 heroes and fallen soldiers who laid down their lives in the fierce battle to protect Quang Tri Old Citadel during 81 days and nights in 1972.

The book, measuring 1m x 0.7mwas produced in two years under the general direction of poet – journalist Doan Manh Phuong, Director and Editor-in-Chief of the Information Communication Centre for Environmental Development.

The book was recognised by the Vietnam Guinness Book Centre (Vietbooks) as the largest book recording the names of heroes and martyrs in Vietnam . It will be placed on display at the Quang Tri Old Citadel Museum .

An art exchange programme also took place with the participation of representatives of martyrs’ relatives and war veterans. The Organising Board presented houses of gratitude to families of fallen soldiers and scholarships to children of those who rendered service during the war.

Earlier, the Information Communication Centre for Environmental Development and the Quang Tri Old Citadel Solider Liaison Committee jointly held a requiem for heroes and martyrs in Quang Tri as one of the activities to mark the 64 th Wounded and Fallen Soldiers’ Day (July 27, 1947-2011)./.