Requiem in Poland commemorates fallen soldiers in Gac Ma battle hinh anh 1Candles were lit up, shaping into the Vietnamese map, showing the locations and names of Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnamese Buddhist Association in Poland held a requiem in Warsaw on March 13 to pray for 64 soldiers who sacrificed their lives to defend Vietnam’s Gac Ma (Johnson South) Reef 30 years ago.

The event was attended by representatives from the Vietnamese Embassy in Poland and a large number of Buddhist followers and overseas Vietnamese in the European country.

A representative of the organising board recalled the main developments of the Gac Ma battle on March 14, 1988, and underlined the significance of the requiem in commemoration of soldiers and compatriots, especially the 64 combatants, who laid down their lives to protect the country’s sovereignty in the East Sea.

The participants carried out rituals to pray for the souls of the fallen soldiers and offered incense and flowers in tribute to the deceased.

Candles were lit up, shaping into the Vietnamese map, showing the locations and names of Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos, thus reminding each other of the country’s sacred sovereignty over the seas and islands.-VNA

VNA