Various activities celebrate 71st National Day

Boat racing in Han River (Photo: baogiaothong)

Hanoi (VNA) – A bicycle race around Ho Chi Minh City was organised on September 2 to mark the 71st National Day, with the competition of 200 racers from the city and neighbouring localities, including foreigners living in Vietnam.

Huynh Minh Khanh from Dong Tam Bike Club won the amateur tournament, while Vo Ngoc Minh from Thanh Binh Bkie Club bagged first prize at professional event, and Sophie Anne Clake came first in woman’s event.

Meanwhile in the central city of Sa Nang, the traditional VTV8 CUP boat racing was held along Han river.

In Hanoi, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum welcomed 31,050 visitors on the National Day, according to the mausoleum management board. Municipal authorised agencies coordinated closely to ensure smooth traffic and order in areas around the site.

At the same time, the Tan Trao national special historical relic in the northern mountainous province of Tuyen Quang received 51,000 domestic and foreign visitors in August this year, 11,000 people higher than the previous month.

Covering an area of 2,500 hectares along 10 communes in Son Duong and Yen Son districts, the site comprises 183 relics, 41 of which were recognised as national historical relics and 51 were recognised as provincial historical relics.

So far this year, Tan Trao welcomed 518,000 visitors. The site is expected to host 700,000 tourists this year, accounting for 50 percent of total visitors to Tuyen Quang in 2016.

On September 1, an art exchange entitled "“Independent Star" was held in Hanoi to praise the August Revolution in 1945, the two resistance wars, and the national construction and defense of the Vietnamese nation over the past 71 years, especially during the 30-year renewal process.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Associate Professor Vu Trong Phuc, Editor-in-chief of the Communist Review, said the programme covers a series of meaningful activities to encourage the younger generation to follow the tradition of solidarity, undaunted struggle, and resilient national construction and defense.

The programme is significant in educating the young generation, continuing to pay tribute to those who fought for national independence and territorial integrity, and in promoting the spirit of learning and working to develop Vietnam in the new period faced with many opportunities and challenges.-VNA