Half a century of glorious fame

VHO - Last night, July 2nd, at the Reunification Hall, the political and artistic program "The Glorious Name of the Great Leader" took place in a solemn and moving atmosphere, commemorating the 50th anniversary of Saigon - Gia Dinh being honored with the name of President Ho Chi Minh (July 2nd, 1976 - July 2nd, 2026).

Connecting numerous locations across the country, the program recreates the half-century journey of Ho Chi Minh City's construction and development, portraying the vitality, resilience, compassion, and aspiration for progress of the city named after President Ho Chi Minh in the new era.

The political and artistic program "The Glorious Name of the Leader" was held at the Reunification Hall.

Recreating a half-century journey.

Directed by the Ho Chi Minh City Organizing Committee for Major Holidays, the program was held at the main venue, the Reunification Hall; connecting with Ba Dinh Square (Hanoi); Cam Ranh Naval Port (Khanh Hoa); Con Dao Special Zone; Binh Duong Ward Central Park; Tam Thang Square, Vung Tau Ward; and Nguyen Hue Walking Street. The connection between these venues created a vast artistic space, stretching from the capital to Ho Chi Minh City, from the mainland to the islands, linking historical events with the rhythm of contemporary development.

With a structure comprising three chapters: The City of Aspiration for Unification, The City of Aspiration for Progress , and The City in the New Era, the program combines performing arts, documentaries, news reports, and interactions with historical witnesses, experts, businesspeople, and the armed forces. Through this, the half-century journey of building and developing Ho Chi Minh City since it was honored to bear the name of President Ho Chi Minh is recreated in a solemn and emotionally rich artistic language.

Beginning with the theatrical performance "Song of the Homeland" and the song " Praise to President Ho Chi Minh," the program transported the audience back to the historical years of the nation, depicting the aspiration for national reunification and the special affection of the people for President Ho Chi Minh. Documentary footage of the journey of young Nguyen Tat Thanh from Nha Rong Wharf in 1911 to seek a way to save the country, along with his profound love for the South, became the guiding thread throughout the artistic evening.

The highlight of the first chapter is a conversation at Ba Dinh Square with Professor Pham Hong Tung, Vietnam National University , Hanoi , about the historical significance of the city being honored with the name of President Ho Chi Minh; along with an exchange with Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoai Thu, a member of the National Assembly for consecutive terms VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, and XI, who directly witnessed the moment the National Assembly decided to name Saigon - Gia Dinh as Ho Chi Minh City in 1976.

Interspersed throughout the cultural exchange were songs such as "Ho Chi Minh, the Most Beautiful Name" and "The Guiding Light," contributing to portraying the image of President Ho Chi Minh as a great source of inspiration and spiritual support in the city's development journey.

You may also like

Every step in Ho Chi Minh City's development has benefited significantly from the contributions of women.To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the official renaming of Saigon - Gia Dinh city after President Ho Chi Minh (July 2, 1976 - July 2, 2026), a reporter from Vietnam Women's Newspaper interviewed Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Xuan, Member of the Standing Committee of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Women's Union, City Party Committee Member, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, and President of the Ho Chi Minh City Women's Union, about the role, contributions, and current challenges facing women in the city.

Igniting the aspiration for a Da Nang of the future.VHO - On the evening of June 27th, as part of the fifth night of the Da Nang International Fireworks Festival (DIFF 2026), the Trung Vuong Theater in Da Nang presented a special artistic program with the theme "Vision," opening a journey to explore the image of a modern, creative, and integrated city through the language of music, performing arts, and contemporary theater.

Taylor Swift donates $26 million to charities.Just before their wedding, singer Taylor Swift and her fiancé, football player Travis Kelce, donated $26 million to charities.

Drawing from that historical thread, the program opens with a journey spanning 50 years after national reunification, from the years of overcoming the consequences of war to the period of reform, fostering dynamism and creativity, and affirming Ho Chi Minh City's role as the leading economic engine. Through documentary films and songs like "Love Song of Youth" and "Tomorrow Will Be Brighter," the image of a city that knows how to overcome challenges, preserve traditions of compassion and solidarity, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, is recreated in a poignant and moving way.

The art space continues to expand towards a new development vision for Ho Chi Minh City following the administrative reorganization, forming a development space linked with Binh Duong and Ba Ria - Vung Tau. The video "Ho Chi Minh City - A Supercity Vision," along with performances such as "New City Day," "Hello Ho Chi Minh City," and "Soaring High and Shining with the City," portrays a modern, innovative, and internationally integrated city, aiming to become the economic, scientific, and technological center of the region. Interactions with representatives of the business community, leaders of major corporations and economic entities highlight the role of entrepreneurs in the city's development, while also conveying expectations for Ho Chi Minh City's new development space in the coming period.

A particularly emotionally impactful highlight was the segment connecting with Cam Ranh Naval Port and the Con Dao Special Zone. In Cam Ranh, the audience met officers and soldiers of the 189th Submarine Brigade, listening to their stories of pride in serving on submarine 183 - Ho Chi Minh City, contributing to the protection of the sacred sovereignty of the nation's seas and islands. In Con Dao, the program reflected the positive changes in infrastructure, healthcare, and living conditions after nearly a year of becoming part of Ho Chi Minh City. The story of Dr. Huynh Anh Phi, Deputy Director of the Military-Civilian Medical Center of the Con Dao Special Zone, showcased the dedication of young intellectuals to the city's island region.

In the final segment, the locations in Binh Duong, Vung Tau, and Nguyen Hue Walking Street conveyed the vibrant atmosphere of cultural and artistic activities, light festivals, and the enthusiastic participation of the people during the anniversary celebration.

The televised program concluded with a medley of songs including "My City," "Ho Chi Minh City Proudly Reaching for the World," and "Aspiration for Strength and Prosperity," accompanied by fireworks displays at various locations throughout the city. All of this created a dazzling artistic spectacle of a metropolis that has undergone half a century of development and is confidently embarking on a new chapter.

Following in the footsteps of the Great Leader with aspirations today.

Speaking to Văn Hóa magazine, Meritorious Artist Vân Khánh expressed her emotion at being able to participate in the program on the occasion of the historical milestone of Ho Chi Minh City. “I myself have been connected to this land for over 30 years. Standing on the stage of the program celebrating the 50th anniversary of the city named after President Ho Chi Minh is a great honor. For an artist, this is not only an opportunity to perform but also a chance to express gratitude to President Ho Chi Minh and convey the feelings of the people of the South towards him,” Meritorious Artist Vân Khánh shared.

According to the female artist, each art program about President Ho Chi Minh has special significance, contributing to reminding today's generations about history and the sacrifices of their ancestors so that the country could have peace and development as it does today.

United States - Vietnam: Don't miss

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs received a copy of the Letter of Credence for the U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam.On the afternoon of July 2nd, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters, Mr. Le Cong Dung, Director of the State Protocol and Foreign Interpretation Department, received a copy of the Letter of Credence from Ms. Jennifer Wicks, Ambassador of the United States of America to Vietnam.

Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Dung visits and works in Minnesota, USA.From June 28-30, the Vietnamese Ambassador to the United States, Nguyen Quoc Dung, paid a visit and worked in Minnesota.

Vietnam encourages US businesses to expand investment in high technology.On the morning of June 26th, at the Government Headquarters, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung received Mr. Jeff Place, Supply Chain Director of Coherent Group (USA). During the meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister affirmed that Vietnam encourages US businesses to expand investment, especially in high-tech, innovation, and semiconductor industries.

Participating for the first time in a large-scale art program celebrating the 50th anniversary of Ho Chi Minh City, Meritorious Artist Vo Thanh Phe of the Tran Huu Trang Cai Luong Theatre said he clearly felt the pride and responsibility of an artist. “I belong to the generation born after the reunification of the country. I learned about history and about Ho Chi Minh City through books and the stories of previous generations. Today, standing on this stage to sing for the people, I am truly moved and happy. For an artist, nothing is more precious than songs and music to contribute to spreading good values, love for the homeland, and the aspiration to build a city that is increasingly prosperous,” he expressed.

From a staging perspective, People's Artist Le Thuy, the program's General Director, stated that the central theme of "The Glorious Name of the Leader" is inspired by the image of President Ho Chi Minh's footprints. According to him, the journey from Nha Rong Wharf in 1911 marked the beginning of his path to national salvation, and also symbolizes the nation's aspiration for the future. Over the past fifty years, Ho Chi Minh City has continued this spirit with its aspiration for unity, its tradition of solidarity, its dynamism and innovation, its resilience in overcoming difficulties, and its belief in entering a new era of development.

“From Nha Rong Wharf that year, He set out to find a path for the nation. For the past fifty years, the city named after Him has continued in those footsteps with the aspiration for reunification, with affection, with times of rising again after hardship, and with the belief in entering a new era,” People's Artist Le Thuy shared.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/nghe-thuat/nua-the-ky-rang-ro-ten-nguoi-242624.html