The event was part of the province's "Returning to the Roots" series of activities in 2026, aimed at honouring revolutionaries who had been incarcerated at Son La Prison and promoting patriotic and revolutionary traditions among younger generations.

The event was attended by Hoang Van Nghiem, member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee, and head of the provincial delegation of National Assembly deputies; Hoang Van Chat, former Secretary of the provincial Party Committee and former Chairman of the provincial People's Council; Nguyen Dinh Viet, Deputy Secretary of the provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the provincial People's Committee; among others. 

Between 1930 and 1945, Son La Prison was one of the largest prisons operated by the French colonial administration in Indochina. It held 14 groups of political prisoners, with a total of 1,013 revolutionaries imprisoned over the period. Among them were many individuals who later became senior leaders of the Party and the State, including Le Duan, Truong Chinh, Nguyen Luong Bang, Tran Dang Ninh, Tran Huy Lieu, Le Thanh Nghi, and Mai Chi Tho.

Despite enduring extremely harsh conditions, the revolutionary prisoners remained steadfast, transforming the colonial prison into a "revolutionary school" that helped train and cultivate Party cadres for the cause of national liberation.

Speaking on behalf of the provincial leadership, Ha Trung Chien, Permanent Vice Chairman of the provincial People's Committee, thanked the relatives of the former political prisoners for returning to Son La to participate in the "Returning to the Roots" programme during the commemoration of the 79th Anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs Day.

He emphasised that Son La regards the work of expressing gratitude to and caring for those who rendered services to the nation, and preserving and promoting historical values as both a responsibility and a sacred moral obligation. Over the years, the province has invested in the restoration, conservation, and promotion of the Son La Prison special national relic site, gradually improving its exhibition system, preserving original relics, expanding historical research and archival collection, strengthening education of revolutionary traditions, and promoting the site to the public, particularly younger generations.

Looking ahead, Son La province hopes to continue working closely with the relatives of political prisoners to collect documents, photographs, artifacts, memoirs, and personal accounts related to the revolutionaries once imprisoned at Son La Prison. These materials will enrich the historical archive and help preserve and pass on the stories of previous generations to future ones in a complete and authentic manner./.