Ho Chi Minh City (VNA) – Party General Secretary and State President To Lam and other key Party and State leaders attended a live television programme titled “Sao Sang Dan Duong” (Guiding Star) on July 26 night, held to commemorate the 79th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs' Day (July 27, 1947–2026).
Jointly organised by Vietnam Television (VTV) and the People's Committees of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Tuyen Quang and Quang Tri provinces, the programme paid tribute to heroic martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the nation while honouring the forces engaged in the search, recovery and identification of fallen soldiers' remains.
The nationwide broadcast connected four symbolic venues: the memorial stele dedicated to fallen heroes in Thanh Thuy commune of northern Tuyen Quang province; the Bac Son Monument in Hanoi; the National Road 9 Martyrs' Cemetery in central Quang Tri province; and Le Thi Rieng Park in Ho Chi Minh City. More than television broadcast sites, the four locations represented milestones in Vietnam's enduring journey of remembrance and gratitude.
Party General Secretary and State President To Lam, together with Politburo member, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, attended the programme at the Bac Son Monument in Hanoi. Politburo member, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man; Politburo member, Permanent member of the Party Central Committee's Secretariat Tran Cam Tu, and Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Bui Thi Minh Hoai attended the central venue at Le Thi Rieng Park.
Also joining the programme were incumbent and former Party and State leaders, representatives of central and local agencies, Vietnamese Heroic Mothers, Heroes of the People's Armed Forces, war invalids, relatives of martyrs, veterans, personnel participating in the nationwide 500-day campaign to search for and identify martyrs' remains, and thousands of people at the four venues.
Inspired by the verse "You joined the army with a star upon your cap/Forever the guiding star lighting our way" from poet Vu Cao's celebrated poem "Nui Doi" (Twin Mountains), the programme was titled “Sao Sang Dan Duong” (Guiding Star).
Its central message highlighted the Party and State's sustained efforts to care for those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Since national reunification in 1975, more than one million martyrs' remains have been recovered, repatriated and laid to rest at cemeteries across the country. However, an estimated 175,000 martyrs have yet to be found, while nearly 300,000 graves remain unidentified, leaving hundreds of thousands of families still searching for their loved ones.
Against the backdrop of fading historical evidence and the passing of eyewitnesses, the nationwide "500-day campaign to accelerate the search, recovery and identification of martyrs' remains" has been launched as both a heartfelt call and a solemn mission to bring as many fallen heroes home as quickly as possible.
The campaign aims to recover around 7,000 sets of remains, collect biological samples from approximately 230,000 unidentified graves, conduct DNA analysis on about 18,000 sets of remains, establish a national genetic database for martyrs' relatives, and complete mine and unexploded ordnance clearance in key search areas.
Throughout the programme, each martyr was portrayed as a guiding star illuminating the nation's ongoing efforts to honour those who laid down their lives. The journey of the 500-day campaign served as the programme's overarching narrative.
Le Thi Rieng Park, the main venue, was chosen because it is the site where a mass grave containing the remains of revolutionary soldiers killed during the 1968 General Offensive and Uprising was discovered, symbolising Vietnam's continuing efforts to restore the identities of those who sacrificed their lives.
Meanwhile, the Bac Son Monument in Hanoi reflected the Party, State and society's commitment to fulfilling the nation's responsibility of remembrance through major policies and national programmes, including the 500-day campaign.
The programme also established live links with the National Road 9 Martyrs' Cemetery in Quang Tri, the final resting place of tens of thousands of fallen soldiers, including nearly 6,000 whose identities remain unknown, and the memorial site in Thanh Thuy commune, Tuyen Quang province, near Vi Xuyen battlefield, where mine clearance teams continue searching for the remains of soldiers who fell during fierce border battles.
Running for more than two hours, the programme unfolded through three thematic chapters: Those who never fell, A mission from the heart – The 500-day campaign, and Returning their names. Documentary footage, emotional exchanges and artistic performances, including Melody of the Fatherland – The red flower, Sacred Vietnam and The unforgettable song, recreated the nation's wartime memories while expressing profound gratitude to those who sacrificed for independence and freedom.
Moving readings of farewell letters written by soldiers to their parents and loved ones before entering battle vividly portrayed the courage, patriotism and unwavering spirit of Vietnam's fallen heroes. One of the programme's most emotional moments came when the family of martyr Hoang Van Dich received his reconstructed wartime records after decades of waiting.
Stories of the heroic sacrifice of female martyr Le Thi Rieng, newly discovered wartime relics unearthed at the park bearing her name, and emotional reunions of families whose loved ones were finally identified through scientific verification further underscored the programme's message of remembrance and reconciliation.
The programme also paid tribute to the courage and dedication of bomb and mine clearance units, teams recovering martyrs' remains, DNA scientists, experts identifying wartime artefacts, historians and eyewitnesses, whose tireless work continues despite numerous dangers and challenges.
Combining moving artistic performances, compelling documentary footage and heartfelt conversations, "Sao Sang Dan Duong" touched millions of viewers nationwide. Beyond commemorating those who gave their lives for the country, the programme served as a reminder to today's generations of Vietnamese to cherish peace, uphold the nation's ideals and live in a way worthy of the sacrifices made by previous generations./.
