Visitors try the virtual reality experience “Back to the Sacred Moment” at VOV’s booth during the exhibition “80 Years of Independence – Freedom – Happiness.” (Photo: VOV5)

The experience is part of the exhibition “80 years of Independence – Freedom – Happiness” at the Vietnam Exposition Center in Hanoi. The VOV boothdisplays artifacts tracing the national broadcaster’s history and features the VR simulation of President Ho Chi Minh reading the Declaration of Independence on September 2, 1945, at Ba Dinh Square. 

“I was born in 1975, after the country was reunified, so I only knew about the August Revolution and National Day from books and newspapers. Being able to relive the moment our country gained independence and hear President Ho Chi Minh reading the Declaration was deeply moving. Thank you for bringing us back to such a powerful moment,” Pham Thi Thu Nga, a Hanoi resident, said.

Another visitor, Dam Xuan Thang, said, “It felt incredible, almost like I was standing there in Ba Dinh Square. Without this experience, we wouldn’t truly understand how special that day was or feel the emotion of President Ho Chi Minh’s speech. Eighty years have passed, but his words still echo in our hearts. This gives the younger generation a chance to see the nation’s heroic past in a way that books can’t.”

The project is a collaboration between VOV and the Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology (PTIT). Using virtual reality and artificial intelligence, it reconstructs Ba Dinh Square in 1945 with 360-degree views, sound effects, and crowd interactions. Participants wear Meta Quest VR headsets to immerse themselves in the historic event.

“We only had a few videos and recordings of the event and President Ho Chi Minh’s speech preserved by VOV. Based on those documents, we used virtual reality technology to recreate the entire space. It includes many historical figures and details, especially the presence of more than 20,000 people at Ba Dinh Square on September 2, 1945. One of the most moving moments is when the whole nation takes three oaths, determined to protect Vietnam,” said Dr. Cao Minh Thang, Deputy Director of the Information Technology Institute at PTIT.

Ngo Minh Hien, VOV’s Vice President, said, “This project marks the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day, and the founding of the Voice of Vietnam (September 7). At the exhibition, VOV will serve visitors for nine days, from August 28 to September 5, so they can experience this sacred moment of the nation.”

Visitors can register online for the VR experience at https://thoikhacthienglieng.vtcnews.vn.