Provincial officials, Buddhist dignitaries, monks, nuns and followers burned incense and paid floral tribute to soldiers who laid down their lives on the battlefields during the past wars, leading to the liberation of the province on March 26, 1975.

This is the first time Thua Thien-Hue has held a large requiem for fallen combatants. Similar masses took place at war martyrs’ cemeteries in Phong Dien and Phu Vang districts on the same day.

During the war for national liberation, nearly 33,000 soldiers sacrificed their lives in Thua Thien-Hue, of whom 19,000 were born in the province.

Over the past years, Thua Thien-Hue has implemented preferential policies for those who rendered great services to the nation, including heroic Vietnamese mothers. Local organisations and people have raised VND20 billion for the ‘Paying debt of gratitude’ fund, presented more than 8,500 saving books, built and repaired 5,800 houses for the beneficiaries.