A grand requiem for Vietnamese soldiers who devoted their lives for the nation was held on May 12 at the A1 cemetery in the northwestern province of Dien Bien involving Buddhists, Vietnamese veterans, local people and overseas Vietnamese.

Addressing the requiem, Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Thanh Son, who is also Head of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese, stressed that “to be able to live the current free, peaceful and happy life, no one among us are allowed to forget losses and sacrifices of elders.”

Cao Van San, member of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee and President of the Vietnamese People’s Association in the Thai province of Sakon Nakhon , on behalf of the participating overseas Vietnamese, affirmed the expatriates’ deep respect paid to martyrs.

The requiem not only helps the participating expatriates clearly understand the country’s glorious history during the resistant war against the French, but also manifests the policy on freedom of religions and belief of the Vietnamese Party and State, said Nguyen Pham Dien from Australia, who are among 30 overseas Vietnamese from nine countries to attend the event.

The ceremony was held by the Foreign Ministry’s State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, and the Dien Bien People’s Committee to coincide with the 56th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu victory over the French colonialists (May 7).

At the ceremony, the overseas Vietnamese delegation presented more than 240 million VND to the provincial fund for the poor and study promotion fund.

The State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese took the opportunity to present five insignias and 14 certificates of merit to collectives and individuals in recognition of their contributions to work relating to overseas Vietnamese.

Earlier on May 10-11, the overseas Vietnamese delegation visited several historic relics and presented gifts to the SOS village for disadvantaged children in Dien Bien province.

The 56-day-and-night Dien Bien Phu Campaign in 1954 help put an end to the colonial rule in Vietnam .

There are about 3,970 graves of fallen soldiers at the A1, Doc Lap and Him Lam Cemeteries in Dien Bien province./.