Black April Commemoration
30 Apr 2021

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Reflect and Respect

 “…Theirs were the hands that saved us, their courage showed the way
Their lives they laid down for us, that we may live today…”

Ken Bunker

 

We commemorate over 4 decades since the fall of Saigon on 30th April 1975, marking the end of the Vietnam War and the beginning of a mass exodus in search of freedom.

Pain and hope are the two dominant emotions of this annual commemoration.

  • The Vietnamese diaspora mourn those who perished on the battlefields defending their values and beliefs; those who crossed borders in the harshest terrain; those who lost at sea in the most horrific circumstances; and those whose lives have been wasted away in “re-education” camps. Our people placed all their hopes and dreams into the hands of destiny, into a future unknown. The pain also comes from those we left behind – children, parents, wives, husbands – torn apart by war.
  • Our community shows hope by recognising and paying tribute to our history, while focusing on lessons learned for a brighter time to come, for the Vietnamese people worldwide. We are fortunate enough to still have some of these resilient individuals in our lives/by our side. However, day to day, their sacrifices tend to go unnoticed. Please spare a moment to reflect and express our gratitude towards those whom we can never thank in person and those whose stories can still be recounted today.

Please join us at the Black April Commemoration – Vietnamese Remembrance Day on Friday, 30th April 2021.

The two-part Memorial includes:

Part 1:
Time:            Ceremony begins at 11:00 am and concludes at 12:00 pm

Location:       Australian-Vietnamese War Memorial

                     Torrens Parade Ground, Victoria Drive, Adelaide SA 5000

Theme:         Australian – Vietnamese Military Procession and Wreath tributes

Part 2:
Time:            Commemoration begins at 6:30pm and concludes at 8:30pm

Location:       Vietnamese Community Hall

                      62 Athol St, Athol Park SA 5012

Theme:          Video footage, theatrical play and music program specific to Memorial Day, and Candlelight Vigil