Flag-Raising Ceremony Held At Ba Dinh Square On Vietnam National Day

HANOI, Sept 2 (Bernama-VNA) -- A solemn flag-raising ceremony was held at the historic Ba Dinh Square in Hanoi on Wednesday morning, where 81 years ago President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported.

At exactly 5.50 am, the ceremonial formation marched from the right side of the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum to the flagpole, accompanied by the stirring military band playing the march “Tien buoc duoi Quan ky" (Marching under the army flag).

Leading the formation was the Determined-to-Win Military Flag, followed by 34 honour guards representing the 34 soldiers who formed the first members of the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army, the predecessor of the Vietnam People’s Army.

At 6 am, the national flag was hoisted to the top of the 29-metre-high flagpole amid a solemn atmosphere.

As the national anthem rang out, the red flag with a yellow star flew over historic Ba Dinh Square. The main entrance to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum was opened as the flag-raising ceremony began.

Local residents and visitors, dressed neatly and respectfully, had gathered early for the ceremony.

They put aside their activities to watch the national flag being slowly raised to the top of the flagpole, and joined in singing the national anthem.

The red flag with a yellow star was first raised over Ba Dinh Square on Sept 2, 1945, when President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence before millions of Vietnamese people.

-- BERNAMA-VNA