Ho Chi Minh City inaugurates Covid-19 Victims Memorial Park.

Five years after the Covid-19 outbreak, Ho Chi Minh City inaugurated a memorial park on the evening of February 12th to commemorate the 23,000 people who lost their lives, featuring a "Tear Drop" symbol in the center of the city square.

In 2021, the Covid-19 outbreak intensified, and Ho Chi Minh City implemented social distancing measures for five months, causing severe economic and human losses. According to published figures, approximately 23,000 citizens, officials, and soldiers in the city died from the disease.

The central area of ​​Ly Thai To Park No. 1, afternoon of February 12th. Photo: Quynh Tran

In remembrance, Ho Chi Minh City chose the plot of land at 1 Ly Thai To Street, a prime location with three street frontages on Ly Thai To, Hung Vuong, and Tran Binh Trong streets, opposite the Cong Hoa roundabout (Vuon Lai ward), to build a park and memorial. The center of the park is a 1,800 m2 circular square, inspired by the image of a raindrop falling to the ground, a reminder of the painful past.

The circular square features a 6-meter-high, 13-meter-long teardrop-shaped monument crafted from mirrored stainless steel. Inside the teardrop is a heart, a symbol of gratitude and love.

Surrounding the monument are nine steps and 360 water candles. At night, the 360 ​​candles, combined with nearly 1,000 light points in the square, create a "forest of candles," commemorating those who died from Covid-19...

The Water Droplet symbol, the centerpiece of the Covid-19 Victims Memorial Park, on the afternoon of February 12th. Photo: Quynh Tran

All the mature trees in the park have been preserved. The old villas have been renovated into exhibition spaces, libraries, etc. The park also includes areas for sports activities, community gatherings, a sculpture garden, and venues for cultural and artistic events.

A representative from Sun Group stated that during the design process, the architects listened to numerous suggestions from experts and the public. Therefore, the project's concept is a collective effort, involving many stakeholders. The park has a total cost of 263 billion VND.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Van Duoc called for a moment of silence to commemorate those who have passed away and the sacrifices of the forces that participated in supporting the city in fighting the epidemic.

According to him, the park conveys three messages: rebirth, affirming the city's enduring vitality as green shoots sprout from loss and suffering; solidarity and unity through touching images during the pandemic such as "rice ATMs," "zero-cost supermarkets," and free meals; and a forward-looking perspective, reminding generations of the spirit of sharing and compassion.

Dr. Nguyen Thi Hau, Secretary General of the Ho Chi Minh City Historical Science Association, said that as soon as the city had the idea of ​​turning the land at 1 Ly Thai To Street into a memorial park for Covid-19 victims, she hoped it would be a modern space, "remembering the past but not being sentimental," and friendly to the people.

One of the four remaining villas was renovated on the afternoon of February 12th.

"The reality today is just as I envisioned," said Dr. Hau. According to her, there are many structures around the world that use the symbol of a water droplet, and each structure carries a different meaning. With the Covid-19 Memorial Park, everyone who looks at the water droplet can see themselves in it – the loss of loved ones, the hardships of the past, even for those who were fortunate enough to survive.

The plot of land at 1 Ly Thai To Street, spanning 4.3 hectares, contains seven old villas that once belonged to the Hoa family. After 1975, the land was taken over by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs but was left abandoned for many years. The procedures for its handover back to the city are now being completed.

Besides Ly Thai To Park No. 1, Ho Chi Minh City has also renovated and improved 9 prime land areas that could not be developed due to legal obstacles, transforming them into public flower gardens to serve the people during Tet.

vnexpress.net

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/tp-hcm-khanh-thanh-cong-vien-tuong-niem-nan-nhan-covid-19-post893625.html