Ho Chi Minh City inaugurates Covid 19 memorial park

Located in Vuon Lai Ward, the park opened to residents after three months of construction.

Speaking at the ceremony, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Van Duoc expressed deep emotion as he paid tribute to the thousands of people who lost their lives during the pandemic.

Duoc recalled a period when the city appeared on the brink of collapse as infections surged, ambulances lined up through the night and the economy recorded negative growth for the first time. Under the leadership of the Party and State, and with public solidarity, the city ultimately overcame the crisis, he said.

City leaders said the park is more than a landscape project, carrying humanitarian value as a place of remembrance and gratitude. It is intended to convey three messages: rebirth, compassion and solidarity, and looking towards the future.

Built on a triangular plot with curved edges, the park centres on a circular square of 1,800 square metres designed in the shape of a falling teardrop.

Organisers said the image symbolises sorrow transforming into positive energy. “Upon touching the ground, the teardrop creates a deep indentation, like a scar of painful memories, then spreads into ripples, symbolising the transformation of sorrow into positive energy, looking towards the future,” they said.

At the centre stands a stainless steel teardrop monument measuring six metres high with a circumference of 13 metres. The square is lowered by about four metres, with excavated soil used to form surrounding hill gardens, reflecting a yin yang design philosophy.

Inside the monument is a heart motif representing gratitude and love. Its reflective surface mirrors visitors standing around it, underscoring the idea of shared memory.

Nine steps and 360 water candles encircle the monument. At night, nearly 1,000 lights illuminate the space, creating what organisers describe as a forest of candlelight in remembrance of Covid 19 victims.

The nine steps are arranged in three tiers symbolising stages of life. The lowest tier features carvings of the 12 zodiac animals, representing the passage of time. The middle tier bears stone footprints, while the highest tier is inlaid with lotus, porcelain and bronze chrysanthemums to signify continuity and hope.

Construction units preserved all existing mature trees at the site and renovated old villas into exhibition spaces and libraries. The park also includes community activity areas, sports facilities and a sculpture garden, with authorities aiming to develop it into a cultural and healing destination for residents.