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CAO DAI ATTENDS THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF THE UNITED STATES' INDEPENDENCE DAY IN HO CHI MINH CITY

CAO DAI ATTENDS THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF THE UNITED STATES' INDEPENDENCE DAY IN HO CHI MINH CITY

Updated 2026-07-12 15:13:23

(Saigon News, July 10, 2026 – Report and photos by CaodaiTV)

At 6 PM on Friday, July 10, 2026, at the Grand Ballroom of the Autograph Collection Hotel, Vinpearl Landmark 81, Thanh My Tay Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, the U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City held a grand reception to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States' Independence Day.

The reception was attended by approximately 500 Vietnamese and foreign guests, including the new U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam, Jennifer Wicks, the U.S. Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, Melissa Brown, and several diplomatic officials from the U.S. Embassy and Consulate General in Vietnam.

On the Vietnamese side, the attendees included Mr. Nguyen Van Duoc, Chairman of the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, and Mr. Truong Tan Sang, former President of Vietnam.

Religious dignitaries present included Archbishop Dang Duc Ngan of the Hue Diocese, Protestant pastors from Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai province, and Cao Dai religion (Rev. Thuong Canh Thanh, former Head of the Cao Dai Overseas Missionary).

The program included the following:

- Flag salute ceremony of the United States and Vietnam

- Opening speech by Ms. Melissa Brown, U.S. Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City

- Speech by Mr. Nguyen Van Duoc, Chairman of the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City

- Speech by the new U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam, Jennifer Wicks

- A toast to the 250th anniversary of U.S. Independence Day.

We would like to summarize Ambassador Wicks' remarks as follows: “I am deeply honored to be with you tonight at my first public event as the U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam. There is no better way to begin my term as Ambassador than by celebrating the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence and honoring the values that have always shaped our nation – service, opportunity, innovation, and the belief that we will achieve even more together.”

The reception concluded at 8:30 p.m.

Here are some photos from the reception: