Light the flame of gratitude

As July arrives, amidst the solemn smoke of incense, candles of gratitude shine brightly at the martyrs' cemetery – the resting place of outstanding sons and daughters who sacrificed their lives for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland. Continuing the tradition of remembering those who came before, the youth of the province have been carrying out many meaningful activities during this month of gratitude with all their hearts, expressing their deep appreciation for the previous generation.

The An Giang Police Youth Union, in collaboration with Viettel An Giang, is carrying out the 3rd Green Sunday in 2025 to replace flowers on the graves of heroes and martyrs.

At 6 PM on July 21st, more than 450 members of the Youth Union from Thoi Son Ward, Tinh Bien Ward, and An Cu Commune, along with armed forces stationed in An Giang province, gathered at the Doc Ba Dac Martyrs' Cemetery in Thoi Son Ward to offer incense and light candles in tribute to the heroes and martyrs. This is the resting place of over 9,000 martyrs, and on the morning of July 21st, the Doc Ba Dac Martyrs' Cemetery received an additional 80 sets of remains of martyrs who died on the battlefield in Cambodia.

Speaking at the ceremony, Phan Duy Bang, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of An Giang province and Secretary of the An Giang Provincial Youth Union, said: “Each incense stick and candle lit represents boundless gratitude and serves as a reminder of our responsibility to follow in the footsteps of our ancestors. The youth of An Giang pledge to continue the revolutionary traditions of previous generations; to further develop their talents, intellect, and youthful energy in the cause of building and protecting the Fatherland. At the same time, we pledge to contribute our strength and intellect to successfully achieve the goals of socio- economic development, national defense, and security, contributing to building a prosperous, beautiful, and civilized homeland, worthy of the heroic sacrifices of the heroes and martyrs.”

In anticipation of July, a month of remembrance, over 80 youth union members from Hon Dat Commune, Son Kien Commune, and the 4th Division Youth Union organized a cleanup and beautification campaign at the Hon Dat Martyrs' Cemetery. Despite unfavorable weather conditions and heavy rain lasting over an hour, the officers, soldiers, and youth union members still wore raincoats to mow the grass in the cemetery grounds, clean the tombstones and statues of the heroes and martyrs, and replace the flowers on all the graves.

According to Truong Thi Phuong, Secretary of the Hon Dat Commune Youth Union: “Cleaning up the grounds of the Hon Dat Martyrs' Cemetery is part of a series of activities to show gratitude during the July commemoration month. The Commune Youth Union coordinated activities such as offering incense, flowers, and candles in remembrance; visiting families of policy beneficiaries and families of those who contributed to the revolution.”

One of the meaningful activities commemorating the 78th anniversary of the War Invalids and Martyrs Day by the youth of An Giang Public Security is the collaboration with Viettel An Giang to launch the 3rd Green Sunday campaign in 2025, themed "The Youth of An Giang Public Security pay tribute to the heroes and martyrs." Members of the Provincial Public Security Youth Union, along with officers and employees of Viettel An Giang, simultaneously participated in cleaning and weeding around the graves of the heroes and martyrs at all cemeteries throughout the province.

Lieutenant Colonel Truong Van Quoc, Head of the Youth Committee of the An Giang Provincial Police, said: “This meaningful activity reminds the young people in the force of revolutionary traditions, patriotism, and the value of peace today. The youth of the An Giang Police are always aware of their responsibilities and are determined to uphold the tradition of building a more prosperous, beautiful, and civilized homeland.”

Years have passed, but the immense sacrifices of those who fought in the war will forever be remembered. Over the years, alongside the revolutionary action movements of the Youth Union, the movement of showing gratitude and remembering the source of blessings has been widely and strongly embraced by the youth of the province.

The youth of An Giang participate in building, maintaining, and beautifying memorials and martyrs' cemeteries; visiting, caring for, and supporting Vietnamese Heroic Mothers; assisting lonely former youth volunteers with particularly difficult circumstances; visiting, encouraging, giving gifts, and providing healthcare for wounded soldiers, sick soldiers, relatives of martyrs, and those who have contributed to the revolution... This is a continuation of the precious traditions of our nation, a responsibility, a sacred sentiment, and an expression of gratitude from young people to previous generations.

Text and photos: HUYNH TU

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/thap-sang-ngon-lua-tri-an-a424795.html