The working trip was organized on the occasion of the 49th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification Day (April 30, 1975) and the Liberation Day of Truong Sa archipelago (April 29, 1975), and the 69th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam People's Navy (May 7, 1955).

The delegation of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs and overseas Vietnamese delegates took a souvenir photo in Truong Sa town. (Photo: Phan Hai)

The program took place from April 24-30 with the participation of nearly 70 overseas Vietnamese delegates from 22 countries, expressing their hearts towards the Fatherland, towards the sacred territory of the country, sharing the hardships and difficulties of the soldiers who day and night guard the sovereignty of the homeland's sea and islands.

During this year's cruise, overseas Vietnamese delegates visited five island locations including Sinh Ton Dong, Len Dao, Da Dong, Da Tay, Truong Sa town and DK-I/14 Phuc Tan platform.

During the visits to encourage officers, soldiers and people at the islands and platforms, people expressed their honor and pride in visiting the flesh and blood territory of the country; admired the brave spirit of overcoming all difficulties, hardships and hardships of the soldiers and people on the islands and platforms to successfully complete the assigned tasks.

Witnessing firsthand the life on the islands and rigs; participating in cultural exchanges and visiting schools, households and pagodas on the islands, people expressed their joy because the islands and rigs are increasingly green and spacious, and life is increasingly improved thanks to the care and investment of the Party and State, and the support of compatriots nationwide, including overseas Vietnamese.

In particular, overseas Vietnamese delegates attended the Memorial Ceremony for the heroic martyrs who sacrificed their lives to protect the homeland's sea and islands, the Rally and Parade to celebrate the 49th anniversary of the liberation of Truong Sa archipelago in Truong Sa town; the flag-raising ceremony, incense offering and flower offering ceremony at the Monument to Heroic Martyrs and the President Ho Chi Minh Memorial House on the island.

Speaking at the meeting in Truong Sa town, Ms. Cao Hong Vinh, member of the Executive Committee of the Vietnamese Association, Vice President of the Vietnamese Women's Association in Poland, member of the Liaison Committee of Vietnamese in Europe for Vietnam's Sea and Islands, emotionally said that this was the second time she was lucky enough to visit Truong Sa and DK-I Platform.

Happy to witness the development in all aspects here, Ms. Vinh said: "This change demonstrates the great determination of the Party, the State, the entire people and the entire army in affirming sovereignty over the sacred sea of ​​the Fatherland."

She shared that after the trips to Truong Sa from 2012 to present, overseas Vietnamese around the world have had practical activities such as: establishing Hoang Sa - Truong Sa Clubs, Vietnam Sea and Island Lovers Clubs, Truong Sa Funds, organizing many scientific seminars and exhibitions of Vietnam's sea and islands to support and spread the love of sea and islands to the Vietnamese community around the world and international friends.

Ms. Vinh affirmed that each overseas Vietnamese, after returning, will continue to promote their role in activities towards beloved Truong Sa.

Mr. Tran Thang, an overseas Vietnamese in the US, shared that inspired by his homeland's sea and islands, in 2013-2014, he collected 150 ancient maps of Hoang Sa - Truong Sa and China, which were displayed at the first exhibition in Da Nang in January 2014.

After this event, the Ministry of Information and Communications compiled his documents and the Institute of Han Nom to build the Vietnam Sea and Islands program, organizing 100 exhibitions nationwide in 2014-2015 to spread the spirit of the homeland's sea and islands among the people.

Being able to join the voyage to visit Truong Sa this year, Mr. Thang was very happy and moved, because he could "Go to feel the sacred value of the country, go to see how beautiful Vietnam's sea and islands are; and above all, we can see with our own eyes the will and experience the life of the Vietnamese navy on the front line to protect the sea and islands".

And on the last day on ship 561 returning to the mainland, overseas Vietnamese delegates in Asia in the Delegation met to discuss the establishment of a Liaison Committee for Vietnamese people in Asia-Pacific for Vietnam's seas and islands.

Before the trip, in response to the call of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs, the Vietnamese community in other countries actively contributed funds to support the program "The whole country for Truong Sa", the gifts were essential objects to support the lives and work of the soldiers and people of Truong Sa island district and DK-I platform.

Accordingly, the total amount of money and goods donated in this period is worth nearly 1.6 billion VND; of which nearly 850 million VND is donated to the program "The whole country for Truong Sa" and necessities worth nearly 750 million VND are given directly to the islands and DK-I/14 Platform.

Mr. Nguyen Manh Dong, Vice Chairman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese, Head of the Overseas Vietnamese Delegation, said that in recent years, the organization of working delegations to visit Truong Sa and DK-I Platform has contributed significantly to spreading the love for the homeland and the sea and islands in the overseas Vietnamese community. It is an opportunity for people to witness with their own eyes the determination and achievements of the Party and State in preserving the sacred sovereignty of the sea and islands of the Fatherland, thereby continuing to affirm Vietnam's sovereignty over the Truong Sa and Hoang Sa archipelagos.

Overseas Vietnamese give gifts to officers and soldiers on Da Tay island. (Photo: Mai Chi)

At the same time, this is also an opportunity for overseas Vietnamese from many places around the world to meet, exchange, and connect with each other and with the people, cadres, and soldiers in the country, contributing to strengthening the great national unity bloc, affirming the heart towards the homeland, joining hands with the people in the country in the cause of building, protecting and developing the motherland Vietnam.

Organizing the Overseas Vietnamese Delegation to visit Truong Sa and DKI Platform affirms the consistent policy of the Party and State regarding the overseas Vietnamese community as an inseparable part of the Vietnamese nation, contributing to strengthening great solidarity and national harmony, helping to raise the sense of responsibility of the people in the country and overseas Vietnamese to join hands to contribute to the struggle to protect the sovereignty of the homeland's seas and islands.

Previously, on April 20, many members of the Overseas Vietnamese Delegation also joined the Overseas Vietnamese Delegation to offer incense at Hung Temple on the occasion of the Hung Kings' Commemoration Day (March 10 of the Lunar calendar), making the event a series of meaningful activities to return to the homeland, affirming the heart towards the homeland, the close bond with the national origin, contributing to enhancing the national pride and self-respect of our compatriots living far away from the Fatherland.

Below are some of the outstanding activities of the Working Group:

Memorial ceremony for heroic martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the sovereignty of the sea and islands on ship 561. (Photo: Phan Hai)

Working delegation No. 11 led by Rear Admiral Pham Van Luyen, Deputy Chief of Political Affairs of the Navy, visited Truong Sa.

Overseas Vietnamese attend the rally to celebrate the 49th anniversary of the liberation of Truong Sa archipelago in Truong Sa town.

Overseas Vietnamese attend the parade celebrating the 49th anniversary of the liberation of Truong Sa archipelago in Truong Sa town.

Working delegation in Truong Sa town. (Photo: Phan Hai)

Ms. Nguyen Thi Dung, an overseas Vietnamese in the Czech Republic, talks with children on Truong Sa Island.

Overseas Vietnamese give gifts to officers and soldiers in Len Dao.

Overseas Vietnamese and monks of Da Tay Pagoda.

Overseas Vietnamese give gifts to officers and soldiers of DK-I/14 Platform.

The delegation and overseas Vietnamese representatives had a cultural exchange with officers and soldiers of Len Dao island. (Photo: Phan Hai)