The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has sent a document to Quang Tri provincial People’s Committee to pursue a project preserving and embellishing the southern Hien Luong bridge and Ben Hai river relics.
The relics of Hien Luong bridge and Ben Hai river
The Ministry also asked the provincial People’s Committee to instruct relevant agencies to consider the reinstatement of the flag pole and south coast police station; define positions for foundations; and putting introduction signs; and choose qualified consultant units for the preservation pursuant to Decree 70/2012/ND-CP on September 18th, 2012.
The relics, situated in Vinh Linh and Gio Linh district, the central province of Quang Tri, forever symbolize the everlasting desire for peace, national independence and reunification.
The Geneva Accords on Vietnam signed in 1954 divided Vietnam into North and South with the 17th Parallel, where the Ben Hai river runs through Quang Tri province, as a borderline. The temporary division was only expected to last two years, but it then remained for 21 years along with the great struggle for national reunification. Throughout this prolonged period, the Hien Luong bridge symbolized the division, expectations and the pain of loss and separation. It represents the desire for national reunification.
With special values of the relics, on December 9th, 2013, the Prime Minister recognized the relics as special national relics.