The event was attended by current and former leaders of the Party, State, and the Vietnam Fatherland Front. It also saw the presence of international guests from Laos, Cambodia, China, France, and delegates of foreign representative bodies in Vietnam, defence attachés of other countries, and representatives of overseas Vietnamese, among others.
Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong sent flowers to the event.
The cerebration began with a flag raising ceremony and salute cannons. Eleven helicopters flew over the stadium carrying national flag and flag of the Communist Party.
In his speech, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, on behalf of the Party and State, expressed endless gratitude to President Ho Chi Minh, General Vo Nguyen Giap, predecessors, soldiers, war invalids, martyrs’ families, pioneering youths, frontline workers, along with the entire armed forces and people nationwide for their utmost dedications, bravery, and sacrifice to create the historic Dien Bien Phu Victory.
He also appreciated the precious and wholehearted assistance from foreign countries, international friends, progressive and peace-loving forces worldwide.
Following the ceremony, a military parade and a procession of civil forces gathering over 12,000 people took place to celebrate the anniversary.
The Dien Bien Phu Victory on May 7, 1954, forced the French colonialists to sit down at the negotiation table to discuss and sign the Geneva Accords on ending the war and restoring peace in Indochina in July 1954.
The historic victory was not only significant to the Vietnamese revolution, but also became a source of support for national liberation movements and marked the start of the collapse of the old colonialism around the world.
Earlier the same day, a delegation of the Party Central Committee, the National Assembly, the State President, the Government, and the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, led by Prime Minister Chinh, officered incense and flowers at the temple dedicated to the soldiers falling down on the Dien Bien Phu battlefield. Party General Secretary Trong also sent a wreath in commemoration of the martyrs./.
