A solemn flag raising ceremony was held at the Hien Luong-Ben Hai historic site in the central province of Quang Tri on April 30 by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the provincial People’s Committee.

This was part of the National Reunification Festival to mark the 35th anniversary of southern liberation and national reunification, the 38th anniversary of Quang Tri’s liberation and the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi.

Present at the event were Politburo members and Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Head of its Commission for Information and Education, To Huy Rua; Vice State President Nguyen Thi Doan; National Assembly’s Vice Chairman Huynh Ngoc Son; Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, Nguyen Van Pha, representatives from the ministries of national defence and public security and many other ministries, along with local people.

At the ceremony, Le Huu Phuc, member of the Party Central Committee and Secretary of the Quang Tri provincial Party Committee, highlighted the significance of the festival to honour the values of struggle and sacrifice for national independence, freedom and reunification.

On the same day, there was a boat race on the Hien Luong-Ben Hai river with 17 teams taking part./.