The sacred beauty of "independence, freedom, and happiness"

Everest Base Camp – a base camp on the way to the summit of the world's highest mountain, Everest (8,848.86m, Nepal) – appeared before my eyes with breathtaking beauty; the emotions I felt at that moment were indescribable. The dream of raising the national flag in the icy Himalayas had come true. It was like a dream!

Citizen's Aspiration

Amidst the biting cold, my hands trembled as I unfolded the red flag with a yellow star, pulling it out from the two corners of the enormous stone slab. In the midst of the winds sweeping across the snow-covered mountains, my heart skipped a beat as I saw my country's flag fluttering in the snow and wind, right in my hands, in this sacred place in the vast world . A moment of sacred pride!

At an altitude of 5,364 meters above sea level, the group from Vietnam forgot all their exhaustion after a grueling 10-day trek from Nepal to Everest Base Camp. The blood flowing in their veins reminded them once again: "The Vietnamese spirit helped us overcome physical challenges and difficult conditions to set foot on the roof of the world for the first time in our lives."

During my many travels, the red flag with a yellow star has always been a constant presence in my backpack. Whenever I have the chance, I want to wave my country's flag in any foreign land I visit, as a message to everyone and to myself: Vietnam is reaching out to the world.

When speaking with Thanh Nha – the first Vietnamese woman to successfully conquer Everest in 2022 – or Dr. Ngo Hai Son – the first Vietnamese person to conquer Ama Dablam, 6,814m high – both shared the same sentiment: “We hope that many more Vietnamese people will conquer high mountains that have never been marked by Vietnamese people and proudly raise the national flag on the world's highest peaks.”

I have been fortunate enough to see the Vietnamese flag flying on many occasions in other countries, from Portugal and South Africa to the United Nations headquarters in Europe (Vienna, Austria) and Sydney (Australia) during the APEC Leaders' Summit...

Everywhere in the world, my heart is filled not only with pride but also with happiness upon seeing the Vietnamese flag, because only independent nations—those not dependent on others—can their flags fly freely like this. The value lies in our understanding of the sacrifices made to achieve this sacred thing.

The most unforgettable moment was witnessing the Vietnamese national anthem being played and the national flag flying proudly for the first time at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in New Zealand. Of all the times I've covered World Cups, I've never been so moved.

That's a national flag measuring 100 square ^meters and weighing 8 kilograms, brought into Eden Park (Auckland) by Ms. Nguyen Thuy Hien (Ho Chi Minh City).

What she carries on her shoulders is also the aspiration of a citizen to let the whole world know that Vietnamese people are friendly and compassionate; that athletes "going abroad to compete" know that the homeland is always there to support them; and to attract international friends to learn about the country and people of Vietnam…

Grateful for…

Today, young Vietnamese people have more and more opportunities to pursue their big dreams, traveling across the globe to broaden their horizons. The more they travel, the more they understand the value of peace, because the world is still full of war zones, countries bearing the scars of division, children unable to go to school due to war, ideological conflicts, poverty, natural disasters, pollution, and more.

Touching reality allows us to discover the true beauty of independence and how sacred freedom truly is. When I went to Iran during a time when the Middle East was engulfed in war and conflict, I was quite worried about the possibility of being stranded there at any moment. The thought of war breaking out made each trip to a new land so unsettling.

And I was surprised and moved when, at an old restaurant in Tehran, they learned I was from Vietnam, and the manager brought out a Vietnamese flag and placed it on my table as a gesture of respect and admiration for a country that overcame bombs and bullets to achieve peace.

My friends, Nguyen Minh Hoang Anh and Vu Thi Quynh Hoa – a couple who have traveled to over 100 countries together – after a breathtaking journey wandering through nearly 40 countries in West and East Africa and returning safely to Vietnam, confided that while abroad, they “think about a unified and peaceful Vietnam with deep emotion. A peaceful Vietnam today is not just the absence of bombs and bullets, but the breath of freedom, the vibrant life of the people, and the traditional love and compassion of the nation.”

The invaluable lessons learned from my travels have not only helped me become more confident, stronger, and more mature, but also instilled in me a greater appreciation for life and what I have.

Upon returning to Vietnam, more than ever, we felt an invaluable sense of happiness and pride in being born and living in an independent, peaceful country, where every heart beats as one, striving and contributing, reaching out to the world in many fields and on many journeys.

- Quynh Hoa confided.

Going away is about returning, and I deeply appreciate the value of citizenship in an independent country. Because throughout our journeys, from the mountains to the seas and across the high peaks, our homeland has always been with us. It turns out that the beauty of "independence, freedom, and happiness" is like this – sacred and unchanging.

LOYALTY

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/ve-dep-thieng-lieng-cua-doc-lap-tu-do-hanh-phuc-post793426.html