Covid-19 Victims Memorial: A Space of Gratitude, a Symbol of Solidarity

Former Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Red Cross Society Tran Truong Son expressed his agreement with the plan to build a park combined with a memorial for Covid-19 victims at land plot No. 1 Ly Thai To (Vuon Lai Ward, Ho Chi Minh City). He considered this a project of profound humanistic significance, paying tribute to the great sacrifices during the city's special period.

In recent days, workers have been urgently cleaning up a 4.3-hectare plot of land at No. 1 Ly Thai To, Vuon Lai Ward, in preparation for the implementation of a green park and memorial project for Covid-19 victims.

Photo: Nhat Thinh

As someone who directly participated in the fight against the Covid-19 epidemic from the early days, Mr. Tran Truong Son - Former Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Red Cross Society said he is still haunted by the devastation that the epidemic caused to the people of Ho Chi Minh City. "From mid-2020 to the peak of 2021, the city went through difficult and unforgettable days. By the end of 2022, thanks to the drastic direction of the leaders of the Party, State, City Party Committee and People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, along with the participation of the entire political system, business community, religion and people, the epidemic was controlled," he recalled.

According to Mr. Son, in the most difficult period, the role of the health sector, the military, the police, the Fatherland Front, and organizations, including the Red Cross at all levels, clearly demonstrated the spirit of "all for the people". Thousands of tons of food, foodstuffs, and medical supplies were received and promptly distributed to blockaded and quarantined areas.

He emotionally recounted: "There are farmers in Dak Nong (now Lam Dong province) who, despite their difficulties, do not sell vegetables and rice to traders but send them to Ho Chi Minh City. Many businesses, doctors, reporters, and drivers have voluntarily established charity bus clubs, using their own vehicles to deliver necessities, medicine, and transport F0 patients to quarantine and treatment places, regardless of the danger to their lives."

During the fight against the epidemic, Mr. Son said that more than 40 officials, members and volunteers of the Ho Chi Minh City Red Cross Society passed away. In addition, hundreds of doctors, medical staff, police officers, soldiers, officers and frontline forces against the epidemic passed away while on duty. "Those are unforgettable losses," Mr. Son said.

It is necessary to combine memorial construction with gratitude, education and humanitarian activities.

After hearing the news that Ho Chi Minh City has a policy of using land at No. 1 Ly Thai To (Vuon Lai Ward) to build a park combined with a memorial for Covid-19 victims, former Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Red Cross Society Tran Truong Son expressed his support. He said that this is a project with profound humanitarian significance.

Most of the trees, especially the old trees, will be retained to contribute to creating green space and natural landscape for the park in the future.

Photo: Nhat Thinh

"The construction of the park combined with the memorial for Covid-19 victims is first of all for those who are living, studying and working today to always remember a difficult, sacrificial and loss-filled period that Ho Chi Minh City has gone through. This is also a way to pay tribute to the officers, soldiers, doctors and volunteers who died while on duty, and to share the pain with families who lost loved ones to Covid-19, especially orphans," he said.

According to Mr. Son, parks and memorials should be designed in harmony, both as memorials and as green spaces, and as public places. Mr. Son said: "Everyone who comes here to play or take a walk can stop for a few minutes to remember and appreciate the peace today."

In addition, Mr. Son suggested that the city focus on combining the landscape value with the historical and cultural value of the project. He emphasized: "Many memorials in other places were built but lacked community engagement activities. Therefore, Ho Chi Minh City should arrange exhibition areas, annotations, and illustrations so that people, especially the younger generation, can clearly understand what happened before, during, and after the pandemic."

In addition, Mr. Son also proposed choosing a day of the year to organize activities to commemorate Covid-19 victims and to link it with humanitarian support programs such as health care, helping orphans, the disadvantaged, and those severely affected by the pandemic. "Parks and memorials will not only be places of gratitude, but also symbols of the spirit of solidarity, kindness and the will to overcome adversity of the people of Ho Chi Minh City," the former Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Red Cross Society affirmed.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/dai-tuong-niem-nan-nhan-covid-19-khong-gian-tri-an-bieu-tuong-cua-tinh-than-doan-ket-18525111112233153.htm