The group of people who hoisted the flag of the national liberation front of South Vietnam

On November 17, 2024, two Swiss nationals, Mr. Olivier Parriaux and Mr. Bernard Bachelard, visited Vietnam. Both are members of a three-person group that raised the flag of the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam atop the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, France, on January 18 and 19, 1969. The group's action, intended to protest the war and advocate for peace for the Vietnamese people, garnered significant international attention, particularly in the context of the ongoing Paris Peace Talks on Vietnam

To raise the flag atop the cathedral's spire, the three-member group spent 30 hours overcoming a gravity-defying ascent to reach the summit, all while numerous U.S. helicopters circled overhead. According to the group, this act was politically motivated, tied to the wave of uprisings against the capitalist regime of that era. The three young men, in their twenties, resolutely took a stand, choosing to align themselves with justice and to communicate the aspirations for peace and freedom.

The flag fluttering atop the spire was regarded as a symbol of resilience, elevating the stature of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam on the international political stage and inspiring national liberation movements worldwide. It was not until 2023, on the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Paris Peace Accords, that the identities of those who had raised the flag at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris were revealed in the book Le Viet Cong au sommet de Notre-Dame (translated as The Viet Cong atop Notre-Dame), authored by the men themselves, who recounted the courageous act they had performed as young men in their twenties

During their exploration of Ho Chi Minh City, the two gentlemen visited the War Remnants Museum. Upon viewing the exhibits depicting the devastation that once ravaged the S-shaped land, Mr. Olivier Parriaux and Mr. Bernard Bachelard could not help but feel sorrow and compassion upon seeing the tragic images of the unjust war in Vietnam. However, they were also deeply impressed by the development and dynamism of Ho Chi Minh City, despite having endured such a brutal war in its past

Writer Biện Thu Ngần