Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang speaks at the event. (Photo: VNA) Paris (VNA) – The Vietnamese Embassy inFrance has organised a ceremony in Paris to mark the 70th anniversaryof the Dien Bien Phu Victory with the participation of scholars,researchers, Vietnamese people, and French friends.
Seventy years have gone by, the wounds of war have beenhealed and now peace and friendship prevail, yet the memory of the campaign remains fresh, Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang said at the April 13 event.
He described international solidarity, especiallyFrench people’s great support for Vietnam during its past struggle for nationalindependence and peace, as a firm foundation to build the friendship and cooperationbetween the two countries, expressing his hope that the two peoples will carryforward the tradition in the time ahead.
Taylan Coskun, Politburomember of the French Communist Party (PCF), recalled PCF members’ effortsagainst the Indochina war, and for Vietnamese people’s struggle for nationalindependence and freedom. On this occasion, he called on people of goodwill tocourageously oppose wars and to act for peace, justice, and cooperation amongnations.
Delegates at the roundtable share their perspectives on the Dien Bien Phu battle. (Photo: VNA) Earlier, the embassy in coordination withPaul-Valéry Montpellier 3 University and the French Defense Audiovisual Agency(ECPAD) held a roundtable, where journalists, scholars, researchers, filmdirectors, and war veterans gave multi-dimensional perspectives on the Dien BienPhu battle.
A documentary by the French agency screened at the event presented flashbacks of the campaign to the more than 100 participants.
The roundtable offered a chance for French warveterans to recall the battle and share the love of their homeland and theaspirations to come closer, toward the harmony between the two nations, saidProfessor Pierre Journoud from Paul-Valéry Montpellier 3 University, noting his hope that more young people and students will pay attention tothe history, especially the signing of the Geneva Accords on ending the war andrestoring peace in Indochina 70 years ago.
A view of the event. (Photo: VNA) Ambassador Thang stressed that the roundtable highlightedthe great significance of the victory, the heroism of the Vietnamese army andpeople in the resistance war against the French forces, and the art ofVietnam's righteous military tactics and ideology.
It also demonstrated the two nations’ spirit ofrising together, shelving the past, treasuring the present, and looking towardsthe future, he said./.