Young faces aiding veterans in caring for the graves of fallen soldiershas become a familiar sight in the central city of Da Nang.

The moving deed began in Hoa Tien commune in Hoa Vang district fouryears ago as part of a programme to honour war martyrs.

Since then, on the 1 st and 15th days of every lunar month, localresidents, including youth and veterans, gather at a martyr cemetery,assiduously clearing weeds, burning candles and offering incenses at1,150 graves. Their voluntary effort follows a flexible scheduleadjusted by seasons, starting at 4:30 pm in the winter and 5 pm in thesummer.

In mid-2012, the programme’s managementboard decided to collect battle stories and share them with participantsduring their work.

The monthly event has spreadrapidly among the younger generation with more than 1,000 students andchildren joining in, according to Secretary of Hoa Tien Youth Union DangQuang Hung.

Le Van Tuan, a student living in thelocality, said he and his peers are paying tribute to the ultimatesacrifice of their descendants, hoping the burning candles and incensewill warm the graves of unknown soldiers.

Afterits successful launch in Hoa Tien, the programme has come to a number ofcommunes such as Hoa Phong, Hoa Lien, Hoa Phu, and Hoa Khuong.

Hoa Phong, a home to approximately 900 martyr graves, conducts anadditional large-scale incense offering ceremony on the 15th day ofApril, July and October (of the lunar calendar).-VNA