Cycling Festival For Peace!

7:00 a.m. this morning, June 29, at the flagpole on the northern bank of the special national relic of Hien Luong - Ben Hai River, Quang Tri Provincial People's Committee, Thanh Nien Newspaper organized the inaugural cycling festival for peace , opening a series of events for the first time, the Peace Festival, held on a national and international scale in the sacred land of Quang Tri.

Hien Luong - Ben Hai banks are bright with flags and flowers on the opening day of the Cycling Festival for Peace.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr. Hoang Nam, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Quang Tri province, affirmed: "Vietnam is a peace-loving country. The history of thousands of years of building and defending the country has proven that. More than anyone else, the Vietnamese people clearly recognize the value of peace. Therefore, we hope that each person present at the Cycling Day for Peace event will be a messenger for peace, conveying the desire for peace of the Vietnamese people in general and the people of Quang Tri in particular in the struggles for peace; building a message towards a peaceful, stable and prosperous world ".

Under the sacred flag of the Fatherland, journalist Nguyen Ngoc Toan, Editor-in-Chief of Thanh Nien Newspaper, emphasized that over the years, the movement of practicing sports cycling has developed strongly, but a large-scale tournament has not been organized in this land. That is also the reason why the idea of ​​"Cycling Festival for Peace" was born.

But more than that, the Organizing Committee also hopes that the festival will honor the values ​​of peace, remembrance, and gratitude; be an opportunity to introduce some typical historical relics and introduce and promote the image, culture, land, and people of Quang Tri to people across the country and abroad.

Cycling for Peace: Sacred moment of offering incense at Truong Son National Cemetery

600 athletes gathered at the foot of Hien Luong - Ben Hai flagpole

Mr. Hoang Nam, Vice Chairman of Quang Tri Provincial People's Committee, hopes that each person present at the Cycling Day for Peace event will be an ambassador for peace.

INDEPENDENCE

Journalist Nguyen Ngoc Toan, Editor-in-Chief of Thanh Nien Newspaper, spoke at the opening ceremony.

"Your presence here today proves the appeal and charm of the Cycling Festival for Peace, which is a joy for organizers like us, Quang Tri province and the sponsors. We hope that the peaceful bicycles will continue to rotate, sending strong messages of peace, for the desire for everlasting peace, so that humanity can live in prosperity, peace and happiness...", journalist Nguyen Ngoc Toan emphasized.

The traditional flag of the Cycling Festival for Peace was raised strongly under the national flag at Hien Luong - Ben Hai flagpole.

With those expectations, when the bicycles of the cycling parade roll out this morning, June 29, the ideas and messages of peace that the Organizing Committee wants to convey will be integrated and expressed through each destination and each activity at the destinations.

Delegates and young people standing on Hien Luong (old) to welcome the athletes

Young people spread their dove wings, sending their wishes for peace.

In particular, the 17th parallel - Hien Luong bridge - Ben Hai river, the opening place of the event, is the place that marks the pain of the country's division for more than 20 years (1954 - 1975). This is not only a place of gratitude but also an embodiment, a place where the aspirations for peace and national unity converge, worthy of being the opening point for the Cycling Festival for Peace.

Here, as the parade of 600 athletes passed through the old Hien Luong bridge, children tossed doves, while delegates released balloons into the blue sky, praying for peace.

Below are some images Thanh Nien reporters recorded in the first part of the parade event:

Athletes sing the national anthem under the flagpole

Athletes parade across the old Hien Luong bridge

Athletes show confidence at the start of the 42km parade event

The athletes' parade route is 42 km long.

Local people "waiting" for the bicycle convoy

The parade passes through rice fields in the Quang Tri countryside.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/khai-hoi-dap-xe-vi-hoa-binh-185240629085328469.htm