Vietnam marks 79th War Invalids and Martyrs Day with nationwide ceremonies

War Invalids and Martyrs Day 500‑day‑night campaign Sao Sang Dan Duong To Lam influenza vaccine

Vietnam commemorated the 79th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs Day on 27 July 2026. A live television programme, “Sao Sang Dan Duong” (Guiding Star), was broadcast on 26‑27 July from four symbolic sites – the Bac Son Monument in Hanoi, Le Thi Rieng Park in Ho Chi Minh City, a memorial stele in Thanh Thuy commune (Tuyên Quang) and the National Road 9 Martyrs’ Cemetery in Quảng Trị. Party General Secretary and State President To Lam, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man and other senior officials attended, alongside artists, veterans and families of martyrs.

The ongoing “500‑day‑night” campaign to locate, recover and identify missing martyrs’ remains reported a total of 1,488 recovered bodies by 25 July, including 1,024 recovered in Laos and Cambodia. The government also distributed 10 000 free influenza‑vaccine doses to war‑invalids, veterans, and other people with merit between 27 July and 20 August. Legislative amendments were adopted to recognise war‑wounded veterans with at least 81 % body injury as martyrs, expanding preferential treatment under the Law on Preferential Treatment for People with Merit.

Overseas Vietnamese communities participated as well: the Union of Vietnamese Women in Germany organised a ceremony in Berlin attended by Vietnam’s ambassador Nguyen Dac Thanh, and Vietnamese diaspora groups in other countries held similar tributes. Composer Lê Tự Minh noted that his song “Thắp lên Việt Nam” was created as a heartfelt tribute to the heroes remembered on this day.

Entities

500‑day‑night campaign · Bui Thi Minh Hoai · Le Minh Hung · Phạm Thị Thanh Trà · To Lam · Tran Cam Tu · Tran Thanh Man · Vietnam · Vietnam Television · Vietnam Television (VTV) · Vu Doan Tung · War Invalids and Martyrs Day

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What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 15 SOURCES] The event commemorated the 79th anniversary of Vietnam’s War Invalids and Martyrs Day, first observed on 27 July 1947. en.cand.vn · ordi.vn · fr.vietnamplus.vn · giadinh.suckhoedoisong.vn · www.prensa-latina.cu · +1 more
[● 4 SOURCES] Veteran Colonel Vũ Đoãn Tùng helped restore the names of 57 fallen comrades through the identification campaign. en.cand.vn · baoquocte.vn
[● 6 SOURCES] The “500‑day night” campaign is a nationwide effort to locate, exhume and identify missing war remains.
[● 6 SOURCES] The televised ceremony “Sao sáng dẫn đường” was broadcast on 26 July 2026 from four locations: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Tuyên Quang and Quảng Trị. en.cand.vn
[● 4 SOURCES] DNA testing results were presented for the families of seven martyrs during the broadcast. en.cand.vn
[● 5 SOURCES] Vietnam Television organised the broadcast in cooperation with ministries and local authorities. en.cand.vn
[● 6 SOURCES] Prime Minister Le Minh Hung attended the ceremony in Hanoi. en.cand.vn
[● 6 SOURCES] General Secretary and President To Lam attended the ceremony in Hanoi. en.cand.vn
[● 3 SOURCES] As of 25 July 2026 the 500‑day‑night campaign had recovered 1,488 war remains, including 1,024 found in Laos and Cambodia. fr.vietnamplus.vn · www.prensa-latina.cu · zh.vietnamplus.vn
[● 4 SOURCES] Approximately 175,000 martyrs remain unlocated. www.prensa-latina.cu · www.vietnamplus.vn · zh.vietnamplus.vn
[● 3 SOURCES] The commemorative activities are part of an annual tradition held each July 27. baoquocte.vn
[○ 1 SOURCE] Former Prime Minister Nguyễn Tấn Dũng attended a memorial ceremony for heroes in An Giang province on July 27, 2026.