On July 26, 2023, at 7:30 PM, VTV1 will broadcast a live special program titled 'Guiding Stars' to commemorate the 79th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs Day. This program aims to honor the heroes who sacrificed their lives for the country and to recognize the dedicated teams involved in the search, recovery, and identification of their remains.

The title of the program is inspired by a line from the poem 'Double Mountain' by poet Vu Cao, which reflects the guiding light of those who served in the military. Throughout the program, viewers will witness the ongoing campaign titled '500 Days and Nights,' which focuses on the efforts to locate and identify the remains of fallen soldiers through real-life stories, reunions after decades, and artistic performances.

The live broadcast will connect four locations: the Memorial House for Fallen Heroes in Thanh Thuy (Tuyen Quang), the Bac Son Monument in Hanoi, the National Cemetery of Road 9 in Quang Tri, and Le Thi Rieng Park in Ho Chi Minh City. The main venue at Le Thi Rieng Park is significant as it is the site where a mass grave of soldiers who perished during the 1968 Tet Offensive was discovered.

In Quang Tri, the National Cemetery of Road 9 currently holds 5,929 unidentified remains and is a key area for the '500 Days and Nights' campaign. The event in Tuyen Quang will take place near a historical battlefield where teams continue their mission to search for and recover remains while also clearing landmines.

According to the organizing committee, over the past 50 years, more than one million remains of fallen soldiers have been located and interred in cemeteries across the country. However, there are still over 175,000 remains that need to be found, and nearly 300,000 graves lack identifying information.

The '500 Days and Nights' campaign aims to locate approximately 7,000 remains, complete the sampling of around 230,000 graves, conduct DNA testing on about 18,000 remains, and build a genetic database for the families of the fallen soldiers. The program will consist of three segments: 'Those Who Never Fade Away,' 'Heartfelt Command - The 500 Days and Nights Campaign,' and 'Returning Names to the Heroes.'

Viewers will be introduced to stories about families who have waited years for news of their loved ones, the teams involved in the recovery efforts, and scientists working on DNA testing and documentation, all contributing to the journey of bringing the fallen soldiers back to their names, hometowns, and families.