Hanoi (VNA) - Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra on June 17 called for translating gratitude toward those who sacrificed for the nation into concrete and meaningful actions as Vietnam prepares to commemorate the 80th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs Day .
Chairing a meeting of the Steering Committee for the War Invalids and Martyrs Day celebrations, she described the occasion as an event of profound political, social, and humanitarian significance, stressing the need for thorough preparations that uphold the nation's tradition of remembering those who made sacrifices for the country.
Minister of Home Affairs Do Thanh Binh, standing deputy head of the Steering Committee, said the ministry has drafted a plan to coordinate key activities for the anniversary, ensuring implementation across ministries, sectors, and localities while mobilising the entire political system and society to honour and care for people who rendered meritorious service to the revolution.
Regarding the search and recovery of fallen soldiers' remains, he said 1,080 sets of remains have been recovered to date, with solemn repatriation, memorial, and burial ceremonies held for Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who died in Laos and Cambodia.
The Ministry of Public Security has reviewed and cross-checked information on hundreds of thousands of unidentified martyrs, collected DNA samples in many localities, and successfully identified 23 fallen soldiers, providing renewed hope for their families.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has also guided localities in upgrading care centres and housing for people with meritorious service and is coordinating with Hanoi authorities to build a national memorial dedicated to fallen heroes and national contributors.
The ministry has proposed gifts for 1.5 million contributors to the revolution on the occasion of the 79th War Invalids and Martyrs Day, with a total budget exceeding 475 billion VND (18 million USD), and has submitted more than 1,000 certificates of national recognition for issuance or reissuance by the Prime Minister.
At the meeting, representatives of ministries and localities reviewed the initial implementation of Decision No. 692 and discussed key tasks leading up to July 27, 2026, as well as preparations for the 80th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs Day (July 27, 1947–2027).
Senior Lieutenant General Le Quang Minh, Deputy Director of the General Department of Politics under the Vietnam People's Army, said the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defence had promptly directed agencies and units to implement assigned tasks in a coordinated and effective manner.
Senior Lieutenant General Le Quoc Hung, Deputy Minister of Public Security, said that under the 500-day campaign, authorities are conducting a nationwide drive to collect DNA samples from relatives of unidentified martyrs. By July 25, about 250,000 samples are expected to be collected, covering around 70% of eligible family members.
Regarding communications, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) Deputy General Director Nguyen Thi Su said the news agency has identified promoting the campaign as a key political task and launched a dedicated information platform, strengthening both domestic and international coverage.
In the past two months, VNA has published nearly 600 news reports and articles, thousands of photographs, and hundreds of videos and graphics, while translating selected content into five foreign languages for wider dissemination.
Concluding the meeting, Deputy PM Tra highlighted four major achievements, including effective communications on the 500-day campaign, stronger public awareness of gratitude and remembrance, progress in improving policies for people with meritorious service, and the issuance of Resolution No. 26/2026/NQ-CP, which provides an important legal framework for identifying fallen soldiers through DNA testing.
She called for mobilising the combined strength of the entire political system and society to care for war veterans, wounded soldiers, families of martyrs, and other national contributors, while fostering a strong sense of responsibility to preserve the nation's traditions of gratitude and remembrance.
She said gratitude must be transformed into practical, effective, and meaningful actions, stressing that all activities should aim to provide the best possible care for relatives of martyrs, war invalids, sick veterans, and people with meritorious services to the revolution while promoting humanitarian values and educating younger generations about patriotism, responsibility, and respect for those who sacrificed for the nation./.
