On the morning of March 14, numerous people gathered at the memorial site to offer incense and flowers in remembrance of 64 soldiers who heroically sacrificed their lives 37 years ago while defending Gac Ma Island in the Truong Sa (Spratly) Archipelago under Vietnam’s sovereignty.
Former Vice President Truong My Hoa, former President of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor Dang Ngoc Tung along with a working delegation from Khanh Hoa Labor Federation and the families of the fallen soldiers were present at the Gac Ma memorial site for an incense-offering ceremony in tribute to the fallen soldiers who sacrificed their lives to protect the Fatherland.
The 2.5-hectare Gac Ma memorial site was started construction by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor on March 13, 2015, and was officially put into operation in 2017.
The memorial site was built with a total investment of VND130 billion (US$5.1 million) which was funded by contributions from union members, workers, businesses and people domestically and internationally.
Speaking at the incense-offering ceremony, former President of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor Dang Ngoc Tung expressed that the memorial site was built with the hope of creating a sacred space where families and relatives of the fallen soldiers and people can visit and commemorate the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the protection of Vietnam’s seas, islands and continental shelf.
Since its inauguration in 2017, the memorial site has welcomed more than 2,700 delegations, with over 570,000 visitors coming to pay their respects.
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