April 30, 2015, is a big day in Vietnam, marking the 40th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War and the union of the north and south. On April 30, 1975, North Vietnam claimed victory over the south, soon uniting the country as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
Reunification Day (also called Liberation Day or Victory Day) is an annual holiday where Vietnamese people enjoy a day off of work to celebrate with their family and friends.
To commemorate this holiday, many Vietnamese people travel home to visit family that they do not see often. Big cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are decked out with Vietnamese flags, neon lights, and colorful decorations. Televisions broadcast memorial programs and music shows. People line the streets for parades and crowd in popular areas for national shows. All over the country, work stops and Vietnamese people celebrate together.
This year will be an even bigger celebration as Vietnamese commemorate 40 years of a unified Vietnam.
This Reunification Day, April 30, will you take time to pray for the peoples of Vietnam?
- Pray for the peoples of Vietnam as they celebrate the liberation of their country to learn about true liberation from sin that comes through faith in Jesus Christ.
- Pray for Vietnamese Christians who will travel home to visit their families to have opportunities to share the good news with them.