HCM City (VNA) – A delegation led by Secretary ofthe Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan laid wreaths and offeredincense at the municipal martyrs’ cemetery in District 9 and the Ho Chi MinhCity cemetery in Thu Duc district on July 27, on the occasion of the 72ndanniversary of the Vietnam Invalids and Martyrs Day.

They observed one minute of silence in memory of Vietnameseheroic mothers, war heroes and martyrs who laid down their lives for nationalindependence.

At the Ho Chi Minh City cemetery, they paid tribute togenerations of leaders and revolutionary veterans who dedicated their lives tonational construction and defence.

In the morning the same day, a delegation of the municipalauthorities and walks of life paid floral tribute to war heroes at Ben DuocMemorial Temple.

On June 26, a candle-lit ceremony in commemoration ofmartyrs took place at A1 National Martyrs’ Cemetery in the northern mountainousprovince of Dien Bien.

A music show was also held at the event.

Many activities to express gratitude to martyrs, warinvalids and other revolution contributors are being held nationwide on theoccasion.

The Vietnam Invalids and Martyrs Day (July 27) is a special chance for theentire country to commemorate millions of martyrs and war invalids whosacrificed their lives and health during the wars.

In 1947, just two years after President Ho Chi Minh delivered the declarationof independence, the first decree on preferential policies for war invalids andfallen soldiers was issued. 

The same year, July 27 was designated as the national war invalids day, whichwas later renamed the War Invalids and Martyrs Day, to call on the entirecommunity to support war invalids and martyrs’ families in acknowledgement oftheir contributions to the nation.-VNA