Ho Chi Minh City on April 30 hosted a ceremony to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (April 30, 1975 – April 30, 2025).

Attending the ceremony were General Secretary To Lam; former General Secretary Nong Duc Manh; Politburo Member and President Luong Cuong; former Politburo Members and former Presidents Nguyen Minh Triet and Truong Tan Sang; Politburo Member and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh; former Politburo Member and former Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung; Politburo Member and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man; former Politburo Members and former National Assembly Chairpersons Nguyen Van An and Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan; Politburo Member and Permanent Member of the Party Central Committee's Secretariat Tran Cam Tu, who also serves as Head of the Central Steering Committee for the Celebration of Major National Holidays and Historic Events in 2025; and former Politburo Members and former Permanent Members of the Secretariat Phan Dien and Tran Quoc Vuong.

Also in attendance were current and former Politburo Members; current and former Secretaries of the Party Central Committee; current and former members of the Party Central Committee; Vice Presidents and former Vice Presidents; Deputy Prime Ministers and former Deputy Prime Ministers; Vice Chairpersons and former Vice Chairpersons of the National Assembly; members of the Central Steering Committee for the Celebration of Major National Holidays and Historic Events in 2025; leaders of central agencies and organizations; leaders of Ho Chi Minh City and other provinces and cities; revolutionary veterans; Heroic Vietnamese Mothers; Heroes of the People's Armed Forces; Heroes of Labor; generals in the armed forces; representatives of soldiers, veterans, former police officers, former youth volunteers, former logistics workers, and those who participated in the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign; and families of war invalids, martyrs, and people with meritorious service to the nation.

High-level international delegations also attended the ceremony, including a delegation from the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and the State of the Lao People's Democratic Republic led by General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith; a delegation from the Kingdom of Cambodia led by Samdech Techo Hun Sen, President of the Cambodian People's Party and President of the Senate; a delegation from the Republic of Cuba led by Vice President Salvador Valdes Mesa; and a delegation from the Republic of Belarus led by Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Ipatau Vadzim.

Also present were ministers and deputy ministers of foreign affairs and defense, political party representatives, international organizations, ambassadors, heads of diplomatic missions, and defense attachés in Vietnam, along with many international friends who supported Vietnam during the struggle for national liberation and development.

A glorious milestone in the nation's history

In a solemn atmosphere, General Secretary To Lam delivered an important speech, emphasizing the great significance of the victory on April 30, 1975. He highlighted the role of national unity and the aspiration for national development in the new era.

General Secretary To Lam warmly welcomed revolutionary veterans, Heroic Vietnamese Mothers, Heroes of the Armed Forces and Labor, generals, soldiers, veterans, former police officers, former youth volunteers, logistics workers, and families of martyrs and people with meritorious service. He sent them sincere greetings and best wishes.

He expressed deep gratitude to President Ho Chi Minh, past generations who sacrificed for the revolutionary cause and national reunification, and international friends who supported Vietnam.

According to the General Secretary, over the past 50 years, Vietnam has made remarkable achievements in economic development.

From a poor, war-torn country, Vietnam has become a developing country approaching upper-middle income, with improved living standards and deep international integration. The country has maintained its independence, sovereignty, and security.

The Party and State have actively promoted national harmony and reconciliation. With the spirit that all Vietnamese people are children of the same nation, everyone has the right and duty to contribute to building the country. The policy is to close the past, respect differences, and look to the future.

Vietnam now stands at a new historical starting point. The goal is to become a modern industrialized, upper-middle-income country by 2030, and a high-income developed country by 2045, following the socialist orientation.

The aim is to build a wealthy, prosperous, civilized, happy Vietnam – one that is more dignified and stronger, capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with world powers.

Major General Tran Ngoc Tho, former Chief of Staff of Military Zone 7 (age 79), proudly represented the forces that participated in the Ho Chi Minh Campaign.

Like many young patriots who hated the invaders, he joined the army in 1966 at the age of 17, answering the call of the nation.

Tho recalled the extremely difficult years of the war against the US with hunger, illness, especially malaria and malnutrition, and fierce combat. But the officers and soldiers, together with local people, endured all hardships to defeat the enemy.

They crushed the attempt of neocolonialism to invade and dominate Vietnam and dismantled the puppet regime to achieve national independence and reunification.

Although the victory of April 30, 1975 happened 50 years ago, the memories of fighting against the US still stir in the hearts of Vietnamese people and never fade. Attending this solemn celebration, he felt deeply moved, remembering his comrades who fought and died together on the battlefield.

Major general Tho expressed profound gratitude to Heroic Vietnamese Mothers who gave their beloved sons and husbands for the sake of the nation.

"We are forever grateful to the people from all regions of the country who risked their lives to protect and support the soldiers throughout those years," he said.

"I will never forget the care and love of the people in Southeast and Southwest Vietnam, where I fought in extremely harsh conditions. Without the people, we would not be here today," he said.

Proud of the great achievements of the country after nearly 40 years of renovation, Tho emphasized that veterans always remind themselves to live worthy of the heroic traditions of the Vietnamese People's Army: firm in spirit, pure in character, exemplary in action.

They follow the Party's guidelines and the State's laws, actively protecting the achievements of the revolution, the Party, the government, the socialist regime, and the people. They strive to be worthy of the comrades who once fought and died alongside them.

Turning ideals into a driving force for development

Representing the young generation of the whole country at the solemn ceremony marking the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification, Huynh Manh Phuong, Secretary of the Youth Union of the University of Economics and Law, under the Vietnam National University - Ho Chi Minh City, expressed her emotion, honor, and pride.

"Fifty years have passed since the heroic song 'A Joyful Nation' echoed throughout the country, celebrating the complete reunification of Vietnam – North and South becoming one, as President Ho Chi Minh had always wished," she said.

According to Phuong, through pages of history, documentaries, newspapers, and revolutionary songs that they have studied and listened to, young people today deeply understand the value of peace.

On behalf of the younger generation, she expressed deep gratitude to the Party, beloved Uncle Ho, and all previous generations who sacrificed their blood, strength, and wisdom to protect the independence and reunification of the country.

"Fifty years have passed, and beloved Ho Chi Minh City is strongly and steadily moving forward into a new era alongside the whole country. We, the youth, are proud and honored to contribute to the great achievements of our nation. We are deeply aware of our sacred responsibility and mission to carry on the revolutionary flame passed down from our predecessors," she said.

"We firmly believe in the truth that 'Vietnam is one, the Vietnamese people are one' and strive to turn our ideals into a driving force for development — into wings that help us soar in the new era, as General Secretary To Lam affirmed in his writing."

"Being proud of our country's glorious tradition, we, the youth, will remain firm in our faith, follow the path chosen by the Party and beloved Uncle Ho, constantly improve our ethics, and uphold patriotism, confidence, independence, self-reliance, and national pride."

"We will preserve, promote, and spread Vietnamese values to the international community, striving to be worthy young citizens of heroic Vietnam. We believe that even small contributions from each individual will create great collective strength, contributing to the overall development of the country."

"We firmly believe that the revolutionary tradition and the immortal spirit of the Spring 1975 Victory will continue to empower us, the young generation, to confidently enter a new era — the era of Vietnam's rise," Phuong said.

Ho Chi Minh City awarded the title "Hero of Labor"

Over the past 50 years of construction, defense, and development, Ho Chi Minh City has always received special attention from the central government and support from localities across the country.

The unity, efforts, and determination of the Party Committee, government, armed forces, and people of the City have brought about great achievements, making the city named after Uncle Ho a key driver of national growth. These achievements have been recognized with many noble awards from the Party and State.

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification, the Party and State decided to award the title "Hero of Labor" to the Party Committee, government, and people of Ho Chi Minh City, in recognition of their outstanding achievements in building socialism and defending the nation.

Immediately after the awarding ceremony, the meaningful song "A Joyful Nation" marked the beginning of the national-level parade celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (April 30, 1975 – April 30, 2025). The parade was led by Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Nghia, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army.

The military, police, and mass parade formations were organized on a large and impressive scale. The performance reflected the ideals, belief in victory, and the leadership wisdom of the Communist Party of Vietnam, as well as the strength of national unity.

This is the source of power that enables the whole Party, people, and army to successfully carry out the mission of building and firmly defending the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

In that sacred and emotional moment of celebrating national reunification, the Party, State, and all Vietnamese people solemnly remembered and paid eternal respect to President Ho Chi Minh – the great leader, national liberation hero, and world cultural icon – who brought glory to our nation and country.

The ceremony also paid tribute to former leaders, heroic martyrs, wounded and sick veterans, heroic Vietnamese mothers, heroes of the armed forces, and all compatriots and soldiers across the country who sacrificed and contributed to the struggle for national independence and reunification.

The spirit of the 50th anniversary celebration stirred up national pride and became a driving force for every Vietnamese to believe in the path chosen by the Party, Uncle Ho, and our people.

It reaffirmed our determination to advance the comprehensive renewal, promote industrialization, and achieve the goal of a "rich people, strong nation, democracy, justice, and civilization," confidently stepping into a new era – the era of Vietnam's rise.