The Vietnamese Embassy in France has organized a ceremony in Paris to mark the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory with the participation of scholars, researchers, Vietnamese people, and French friends, VNA reported.

Seventy years have gone by, the wounds of war have been healed and now peace and friendship prevail, yet the memory of the campaign remains fresh, Vietnamese Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang said at the April 13 ceremony.

A view of the ceremony. Photo: TG&VN

He described international solidarity, especially French people’s great support for Vietnam during its past struggle for national independence and peace, as a firm foundation to build the friendship and cooperation between the two countries, expressing his hope that the two peoples will carry forward the tradition in the time ahead.

Taylan Coskun, Politburo member of the French Communist Party (PCF), recalled PCF members’ efforts against the Indochina war, and for Vietnamese people’s struggle for national independence and freedom. On this occasion, he called on people of goodwill to courageously oppose wars and to act for peace, justice, and cooperation among nations.

He also recalled the words of President Ho Chi Minh and the article of French reporter Pierre Courtade published on July 22, 1954 in Humanitarian Newspaper (L'Humanité), "the struggle of the Vietnamese people on the battlefield of Dien Bien Phu was never a war of hatred, but a righteous war against colonialism for peace and justice."

According to Associate Professor Éric Coudray, the Dien Bien Phu victory can be considered the first great victory of a colonial people against the colonial regime. For that reason, this event has a global impact, bringing hope to many other oppressed peoples in the world.

Sharing the same opinion, former Humanitarian Newspaper reporter residing in Vietnam, Daniel Roussel also affirmed that Vietnam's victory on the battlefield of Dien Bien Phu brought hope to the colonial peoples. And in fact, after the battlefield in Vietnam, the army of the French colonial regime was forced to retreat from countries such as Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia.

Documentary films produced by the ECPAD brought more than 100 participating delegates back to the heroic memories of the Vietnamese army and people, but also full of pain for the French people. Photo: TG&VN

Earlier, the embassy in coordination with Paul-Valéry Montpellier 3 University and the French Defense Audiovisual Agency (ECPAD) held a roundtable, where journalists, scholars, researchers, film directors, and war veterans gave multi-dimensional perspectives on the Dien Bien Phu battle.

A documentary by the French agency screened at the event presented flashbacks of the campaign to more than 100 participants.

The roundtable offered a chance for French war veterans to recall the battle and share the love of their homeland and the aspirations to come closer, toward harmony between the two nations, said Professor Pierre Journoud from Paul-Valéry Montpellier 3 University, noting his hope that more young people and students will pay attention to the history, especially the signing of the Geneva Accords on ending the war and restoring peace in Indochina 70 years ago

Delegates at the roundtable share their perspectives on the Dien Bien Phu battle. Photo: TG&VN

Participating in the discussion as the only Vietnamese speaker, journalist Dao Thanh Huyen, on behalf of Vietnam veterans, brought to the debate the voice of soldiers who always want to live in peace. “Even though they had to go through many wars, they did not want future generations to suffer the same situation as them. Peace is their wish, which is also the message of the discussion."

The discussion covered all aspects of the war, not only introducing the campaign's progress but also talking about the pain of defeat of French veterans and their not-so-easy integration into real life after returning.

It was also an opportunity to share memories of the return of French soldiers to the old battlefields, as well as the love they have for this country, and the desire to come closer together and work towards the union of two peoples.

Ambassador Thang stressed that the roundtable highlighted the great significance of the victory, the heroism of the Vietnamese army and people in the resistance war against the French forces, and the art of Vietnam's righteous military tactics and ideology.

It also demonstrated the two nations’ spirit of rising together, shelving the past, treasuring the present, and looking towards the future, he said.

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