70 years of Dien Bien Phu Victory commemorations held in France
The Vietnamese Embassy in France and the French Communist Party (PCF) branch of Saint-Pierre-des-Corps city on April 28 held a memorial ceremony for female communist Raymonde Dien, who on February 23, 1950 lay on the tracks in a train station to block a train carrying weapons to Indochina in protest of the French war in Vietnam.
In the lead-up to the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory (May 7), the ceremony took place at the February 23, 1950 Street, next to the Saint-Pierre-des-Corps train station, where 74 years ago, Raymonde Dien, then just a 21-year-old female Communist party member, tried to stop a train full of weapons heading to Indochina.
Addressing the ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang called Raymonde Dien's action "a historical symbol, that inspires a global movement against war and supporting peace and independence for the Vietnamese people".
The Ambassador expressed the deep appreciation of the State and people of Vietnam to Ms. Raymonde Dien as well as to French friends who have contributed to peace for Vietnam. He expressed his hope that "both sides will maintain this tradition in the coming years to engrave in the minds of future generations the values of friendship and cooperation that bind the two peoples of Vietnam and France".
Gilles Moindrot, Secretary of the PCF Party Cell of Saint-Pierre-des-Corps city, said these events show the importance of activities fighting for peace and contributing to ending hostile acts, and their historical significance remains valid in today's world.
