On the morning of 20/8, a long line of people, including many with gray hair, formed in front of the National Radio Center at 58 Quan Su Street. They came to participate in the "Return to the Sacred Moment" event, which uses VR, AR, and Holobox technology to transport viewers back 80 years to the historic moment when President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence at Ba Dinh Square.
71-year-old veteran Nguyen Manh Hoat traveled 130 km from Khanh Thien Commune, Ninh Binh Province, to Hanoi the day before to attend the event. On the morning of 20/8, he and his grandson cycled for almost an hour from his son's house in Thanh Tri, asking for directions to Quan Su Street.
He wanted to travel independently to admire the streets of Hanoi decorated with flags and flowers before the grand celebration, without troubling his children.
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71-year-old Nguyen Manh Hoat and his grandson cycled from Thanh Tri to 58 Quan Su, Hanoi, to attend the "Return to the Sacred Moment" event on the morning of 20/8. Photo: Nga Thanh |
71-year-old Nguyen Manh Hoat and his grandson cycled from Thanh Tri to 58 Quan Su, Hanoi, to attend the "Return to the Sacred Moment" event on the morning of 20/8. Photo: Nga Thanh
"Since I was young, I've heard stories about the atmosphere of Independence Day on September 2, 1945. Growing up in the army, I heard more stories from older comrades. Now that I have the opportunity, I must experience it myself," Hoat said.
This veteran, who fought in Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, and Binh Dinh from 1972, was visibly moved by his first encounter with virtual reality. During the 4-minute journey back in time, he relived his memories.
According to Hoat, Ba Dinh Square appeared as it was then, with red flags with yellow stars, marching formations, and tens of thousands of people in simple attire. President Ho Chi Minh's voice resonated through the square.
"I felt like I was standing in the square, joining the crowd chanting 'We swear'. That feeling is unforgettable," Hoat recounted.
After the experience, he planned to cycle with his grandson to Ba Dinh Square to watch the parade rehearsal. "I'm lucky to be alive, so I have to go in place of my fallen comrades, to witness how the country has changed but still remembers its history," he said.
People experience the atmosphere of September 2, 1945, using virtual reality technology. Video: Anh Phu - Trong Dat
Sharing the same desire, 81-year-old Nguyen Thi Nhan took a bus alone from Y Yen Commune, Ninh Binh Province, at 4 a.m. to arrive in Hanoi on time. The former youth volunteer, who helped build the Truong Son Road in the 1960s, is now elderly and frail, having to hold onto the railing while waiting in line.
"I always dreamed of witnessing President Ho Chi Minh reading the Declaration of Independence, but I thought the past couldn't be revisited. When my niece told me about this event, I came immediately," Nhan shared.
Her eyesight is poor, but when she wore the VR glasses, she said, "I could see clearly, and I heard Uncle Ho's voice right next to my ear." Tears streamed down her cheeks. "Hearing about it before was moving, but now, witnessing it firsthand makes me feel heroic and proud," she said.
The former youth volunteer planned to return to Hanoi to watch the parade closer to National Day.
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75-year-old Hoang Tien Binh and 73-year-old Do Thi Mui traveled over 100 km from Phu Tho to Hanoi to attend the event on the afternoon of 20/8. Photo: Nga Thanh |
75-year-old Hoang Tien Binh and 73-year-old Do Thi Mui traveled over 100 km from Phu Tho to Hanoi to attend the event on the afternoon of 20/8. Photo: Nga Thanh
Hoat and Nhan were two of hundreds of elderly veterans and youth volunteers from Phu Tho, Nam Dinh, Ninh Binh, and Hung Yen who came to Hanoi for this occasion.
Among them were couples who shared wartime memories. 75-year-old Hoang Tien Binh and 73-year-old Do Thi Mui traveled 130 km together from Hoang Cuong Commune, Phu Tho Province, to Hanoi. Binh was a soldier who fought in Quang Tri, while Mui was a youth volunteer in her hometown.
"Having dedicated my life to the country, I feel very honored to revisit the historic moment of the birth of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam," Binh shared.
During the 4-minute journey "through time," he was silent as he saw the image of people solemnly facing the podium and heard the resounding applause. He said that many of his comrades back home were too frail to travel, so he came on their behalf and would tell them about the experience.
The "Return to the Sacred Moment" experience was open to the public for two days, 19/8 and 20/8, at 58 Quan Su. From 28/8 to 5/9, the experience will continue at the National Exhibition Center in Dong Anh, Hanoi.
Nga Thanh - Quynh Nguyen
