The Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism recently inaugurated the first stage of a memorial-tourism center in the central province of Quang Tri.

Former Vice-President Nguyen Thi Binh (R) and Deputy Minister of National Defense Nguyen Huy Hieu (L) plant trees in the opening ceremony of the memorial-tourism center in Quang Tri Province.

The facility aims to promote tourism in the province, commemorate heroic martyrs, and offer a venue for war veterans and martyrs’ families to meet with each other.

The construction of center was kicked off in September 2009 with the first phase costing more than VND50 billion (US$200,000).

On the occasion, local authorities also introduced a fund to mobilize domestic and foreign organizations and individuals to support war veterans and martyrs’ families.