Under the national flag

My country, my homeland

As the entire nation turned its attention to the grand celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of Southern Vietnam and the reunification of the country, keywords such as "pride," "I love Vietnam," "thank you, Fatherland," and images of the red flag with a yellow star were trending topics on social media platforms... In the hearts of every person on this S-shaped land, there was a stirring love for their homeland, a national spirit that, regardless of time or generation, remains constant.

At the ceremonial artillery emplacement in Ben Bach Dang Park (District 1, Ho Chi Minh City), 15 cannons were deployed by Brigade 96 (Artillery Corps). This is an important part of the ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of Southern Vietnam and the reunification of the country. This artillery unit will perform 21 volleys to the tune of the national anthem of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on the official day of the ceremony. As the forces in charge of training completed their preparations, many young people came to witness a training exercise for the first time.

Phan Nguyen Gia Hoa (21 years old, a third-year student at the University of Banking, residing in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City) shared: “This is the first time I’ve seen soldiers training with real cannons outdoors. I’m very excited for the grand ceremony and proud to share images of my country on social media. Everyone who went to watch brought the red flag with a yellow star or wore shirts printed with the flag. Love for the homeland is always there, and now it’s even stronger.”

Along the streets of downtown Ho Chi Minh City, parade and march teams practicing attract many onlookers. Taking advantage of the opportunity to watch the teams practice after work, Mr. Tran Van Thanh (50 years old, a security guard residing in Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City) expressed: "I finished work early but stayed to watch the parade practice. Seeing the teams marching and waving flags makes me feel like my homeland is right there."

Sharing images and videos of parade and march rehearsals on social media platforms, Phan Huy Han (33 years old, IT employee, residing in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City) said: “I have a technology-related fan page with nearly 15,000 followers, so I take the opportunity to share images and clips here to spread awareness to more people about how spirited our country is these days. There are many comments below the posts, people saying that if the rehearsals are this exciting, then the official day will surely be even more heroic and sacred.”

And as the vibrant red flags covered the streets and alleys of Ho Chi Minh City, many people arranged to meet after work to watch the ceremonial artillery display, observe the parade rehearsals, and share traffic diversion schedules on major city roads as units set up and prepared for the official ceremony. During the art performances celebrating the grand event, a large number of people lined up outside the stands to watch on LED screens.

When a 3D mapping display of the flag of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam appeared in front of the Reunification Hall during a music night, Khang Hoang (20 years old, residing in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City) expressed: “At that moment, my friends and I stood solemnly, no longer laughing or joking, because we felt a profound sense of reverence. Instead of going out for bubble tea or dating, these days we like to go watch parade rehearsals and art programs to listen to heroic historical songs. Everyone in my group has a digital content creation channel, so we take advantage of the opportunity to share images of our country, expressing our pride from the rehearsal days and from the smallest things.”

Mr. Hoang Trung (owner of a coffee shop on Tran Cao Van Street, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City) shared: “These days, customers who come to the shop see the red flags with yellow stars hanging everywhere and they really like it, because it provides a spot to take pictures and feel proud of our country. Some foreign visitors, coming to the city for the first time, expressed their surprise at seeing flags everywhere and many outdoor events being set up. I instructed my staff to explain clearly that this is a source of national pride.”

Finding the Saigon Liberation Newspaper as the subject for her commemorative photoshoot, Anh Thu (a student atFPT University Ho Chi Minh City) shared: “Young people are very quick to embrace online trends. Our group chose this newspaper because it's associated with a historical day in the city. Taking photos and designing images according to clients' requests is our group's job, but instead of just doing it, we incorporated a little bit of our city's unique identity, like the image of this newspaper celebrating its 50th anniversary.”

Give each other the gift of patriotism.

By allocating a portion of his personal income and business earnings, Dinh Xuan Duong (born in 2001, CEO of FlyG Entertainment) organized a giveaway of handbags printed with the national map and the Vietnamese flag to people on the occasion of the nation's major holiday. Xuan Duong said: “As a young person with work and income from social media and e-commerce activities, I think this is my responsibility to the community to show gratitude through positive actions.”

The initiative, which is expected to distribute 4,000 bags, will take place from now until April 30th, with random donations at schools, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum area ( Hanoi ), the Reunification Hall area (Ho Chi Minh City); and to veterans, random visitors on pedestrian streets, and hospitals (giving lunch bags to patients)...

Meanwhile, on the TikTok platform, they're giving away bags to users for 1,000 VND. On the afternoon of April 20th, at Phu Dien train station (Hanoi), Xuan Duong presented bags to the actors participating in the Drum Ensemble Art Troupe (People's Police Academy, Ministry of Public Security) as they departed to perform at the 50th anniversary celebration of the Liberation of Southern Vietnam and the reunification of the country.

Young man Dinh Xuan Duong presents handbags to soldiers of the People's Police Academy who are departing to participate in the 50th anniversary celebration of the Liberation of Southern Vietnam and the reunification of the country.

"I chose to give away handbags because they are easy to use in daily life. A canvas bag printed with a map and the national flag can evoke and spread in everyone's mind a sense of gratitude for the sacrifices of previous generations and the good fortune of living in peaceful times," Xuan Duong expressed.

With the bags being given away, young people are exchanging patriotic gifts, capturing moments of pride in the atmosphere of the upcoming national holiday. Young people receive the bags, take photos and videos, and chant "I love Vietnam" to share on social media; some videos have reached millions of views. The livestream on April 19th on TikTok, where Xuân Dương gave away bags worth 1,000 VND, received 15,000 comments saying "Independence - Freedom - Happiness" and 50,000 comments saying "Grateful to the Fatherland."

Each generation has its own heroic story. If our forefathers fell for peace, independence, and territorial integrity, then the succeeding generation is proud and grateful for the peace we enjoy today. According to Xuan Duong, being born in an independent and free country, having the freedom to pursue passions, work, play, and be loved are invaluable gifts that the younger generation has inherited. From this gratitude, young people need to clearly demonstrate their responsibility to the country. In addition to diligently studying and working every day, each young person needs to be conscious of preserving and promoting the good things of the country.

Xuan Duong expressed: “In the age of social media, the voices of young people spread more easily and powerfully. Every share, every kind act, every story about history and tradition is a brick contributing to building the image of our country in the eyes of international friends. I feel proud of the thousands of years of history of nation-building and defense by our ancestors, not only to admire the past but also to feel that I need to live more responsibly, more courageously, and more meaningfully.”

Beneath the national flag, countless people have fallen so that the bright red flag may fly over an independent and free country... This story continues with pride and gratitude from today's and future generations, cherishing an eternal value - peace for all of us.

As the April 30th holiday approaches, a trend called "+1 patriotic device" has emerged on TikTok, quickly gaining popularity among young people. The familiar phrase "+1 device...", previously used to express personal feelings, has now been "upgraded" to spread a spirit of national pride, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of Southern Vietnam and the reunification of the country.

With just a short video featuring people wearing the Vietnamese flag, visiting historical sites, or simply donning traditional clothing like the ao dai or ao ba ba, along with the caption "+1 patriotic device" or "Proud to be Vietnamese," young people have found their own unique way to express their national pride.

According to sggp.org.vn

Source: https://baoapbac.vn/xa-hoi/202504/duoi-mau-co-to-quoc-1040594/