Launching a 500-day and night campaign to search, repatriate and identify martyrs' remains

On April 2nd, at Quang Tri Ancient Citadel (Quang Tri ward), the National Steering Committee for searching, repatriating and identifying martyrs' remains organized the Launching Ceremony of the "Operation 500 days and nights to promote the search, repatriation and identification of martyrs' remains".

The program aims to celebrate the 80th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs' Day (July 27, 1947 – July 27, 2027) and has special significance, expressing gratitude to heroic martyrs who sacrificed for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland.

Attending the launching ceremony were Comrade Pham Thi Thanh Tra - Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Prime Minister, Head of the National Steering Committee for searching, repatriating and identifying martyrs' remains; along with leaders of relevant ministries and sectors, leaders of Quang Tri province.

Speaking at the ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra highly appreciated the goals and importance of the campaign, especially in the context of the 80th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs' Day. The campaign aims to mobilize the overall strength of the political system in searching, repatriating and identifying martyrs' remains. The campaign period lasts from March 15, 2026 to July 27, 2027.

In the period 2021 - 2025, the whole country has searched and collected nearly 7,000 sets of martyrs' remains. Nearly 13,500 samples have been received (including sets of remains and relatives' samples), through which, the identities of over 100 martyrs have been identified by DNA testing and over 2,500 martyrs by verification method; nearly 60,000 biological samples have been collected to build a gene bank for martyr relatives.

However, there are still about 175 thousand martyrs' remains that have not been found and more than 300 thousand martyrs' graves that have not been identified.

The goal of the campaign is to search for and collect 7,000 sets of martyrs' remains and identify about 18,000 sets of martyrs' remains.

Launching and directing the campaign, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra requested ministries, branches, and localities to organize serious, complete and responsible implementation. Focus on key solutions, such as clearly assigning responsibilities to each agency, unit, organization, and individual; The Army is the main force directly organizing search and repatriation teams; reviewing and standardizing the database on martyrs and martyrs' graves; expanding cooperation with countries in exchanging and providing information about martyrs and martyrs' graves...

At the launching ceremony, Mr. Le Van Bao - Vice Chairman of Quang Tri Provincial People's Committee said that the locality is a place that has endured many pains and losses in the resistance wars, and is a locality with a large number of martyrs nationwide. In recent years, under the close leadership and direction of the National Steering Committee 515, Steering Committee 515 of Military Region 4, along with the attention of the Provincial Party Committee, People's Council, Provincial People's Committee and the active involvement of all levels, sectors, and localities, the work of searching, repatriating and identifying martyrs' remains in the province has achieved many important results. However, in Quang Tri province, there are still more than 31,000 unidentified martyrs; more than 25,000 martyrs have been repatriated but their identities have not been identified.

Responding to the campaign, Quang Tri province sets a target to repatriate from 360 to 590 sets of martyrs' remains. Complete taking samples of martyrs' remains for unidentified martyrs' graves in 100% of martyrs' cemeteries in the area and found and repatriated martyrs' remains. Develop databases to serve the search and identification of martyrs' remains.

In front of the spirits of the heroic martyrs who bravely sacrificed for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland, for the happiness of the people; in front of the witness of the leaders and all delegates, we promise to make the highest efforts, unite as one, overcome all difficulties, and be determined to excellently complete the task of searching, repatriating and identifying the remains of martyrs in the campaign" - Mr. Le Van Bao said.