Attending the ceremony were Politburo members: Truong Thi Mai, Standing member of the Secretariat, Head of the Central Organization Commission; General To Lam, Minister of Public Security; Phan Van Giang, Minister of National Defense. Also attending were comrade Do Van Chien, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front; leaders of the National Assembly, Government; scientists, intellectuals, businessmen, and outstanding youth nationwide.

On the international side, there were Palestinian Ambassador to Vietnam Saadi Salama, Head of the Diplomatic Corps; ambassadors, chargé d'affaires, heads of international organizations in Hanoi and their spouses.

Delegates attending the 78th National Day Celebration Ceremony, September 2. (Source: VNA)

In his speech at the ceremony, President Vo Van Thuong recalled the historic moment of the nation: 'In August 1945, under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President Ho Chi Minh, the entire Vietnamese people rose up as one to carry out a General Uprising, smashing the colonial and feudal domination and returning power to the people.

The victory of the August Revolution in 1945 is one of the most brilliant golden pages in the history of the Vietnamese people, affirming the strength of national unity, opening a great turning point, bringing the Vietnamese people into a new era - the era of national independence associated with socialism; the Vietnamese people from the status of slaves became masters of the country, masters of their own destiny. President Ho Chi Minh affirmed: 'The August Revolution overthrew the monarchy of several decades, broke the colonial chains of nearly 100 years, returned the government to the people, and built the foundation for the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, independent, free, and happy. It was an extremely great change in the history of our country'.

President Vo Van Thuong speaks at the ceremony to celebrate the 78th anniversary of National Day, September 2. (Photo: Tuan Viet)

On September 2, 1945, at Ba Dinh Square, Hanoi, President Ho Chi Minh solemnly read the Declaration of Independence giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam) and declared to the world: “Vietnam has the right to freedom and independence and in fact has become a free and independent country. The entire Vietnamese people are determined to devote all their spirit and strength, their lives and property to maintain that freedom and independence.”

Since the revolutionary autumn of 1945, with the spirit of "Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom", the Vietnamese people have been resilient and brave through many extremely arduous and fierce battles, with the sacrifice of millions of outstanding people to liberate the nation, unify the country, build and protect the Fatherland.

Entering the Renovation period, with the goal of “rich people, strong country, democracy, fairness, civilization”, the Vietnamese people once again entered the arduous struggle to eliminate hunger, reduce poverty, and backwardness and achieved great achievements of historical significance. Politics and society were stable. National defense and security were maintained. Social security was guaranteed. People's lives were constantly improved.

From a country that was not on the world map, today, Vietnam has established diplomatic relations with 192 countries; has risen to become a leading dynamic economy in Asia - Pacific, an important link in many economic links, free trade agreements, regional and global production chains. Vietnam is a country of peace, friendship, cooperation and development, a beautiful, safe, friendly and hospitable destination.

Delegates perform the flag-saluting ceremony at the 78th Anniversary of National Day, September 2. (Photo: Tuan Viet)

President Vo Van Thuong stated: The invaluable asset and great strength that helps the Vietnamese people overcome all difficulties, hardships and sacrifices is the spirit of patriotism, the strength of national unity, the strong will and courage, the spirit of determination, self-reliance, self-reliance, and the strong desire for independence, freedom, peace and happiness. These noble values ​​have been nurtured, cultivated, preserved and promoted through the thousands of years of building and defending the country of the Vietnamese people.

Vietnam is persistently striving to realize the ideal of national independence associated with socialism that the Party, Uncle Ho and the People have chosen. On the path to realizing the aspiration of becoming a developed, high-income country by 2045; we must continue to promote the strength of national solidarity, persistently and comprehensively promote the cause of innovation, comprehensive and deep international integration; continue to perfect the socialist rule-of-law state and the socialist-oriented market economy; firmly protect national sovereignty and territorial integrity, preserve and promote the precious heritages that generations of Vietnamese people have worked hard to cultivate.

In that process, the People are always at the center, the subject, the driving force and the consistent goal of all development policies.

Recalling what President Ho Chi Minh once said, Vietnam is a part of the world, everything in the world is related to Vietnam, President Vo Van Thuong said: Following his teachings, over the years, Vietnam has always been consistent in its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification, multilateralization, being a friend, a reliable partner, and a responsible member of the international community for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the world.

Vietnam has successfully fulfilled many important responsibilities at multilateral forums, joined hands to realize development goals, protected human rights and actively contributed to maintaining world peace, and is loved by international friends. In each stage of Vietnam's development, there are imprints of good feelings, support, effective and practical cooperation, and sincere and meaningful help from friends around the world.

On the occasion of the great national holiday, on behalf of the Party, State and people of Vietnam, President Vo Van Thuong thanked the countries, partners and progressive people in the world for accompanying Vietnam, giving Vietnam their love, trust, sharing and valuable support, contributing to Vietnam's achievements over the past 78 years, so that Vietnam "has the foundation, potential, position and international prestige as it does today"; at the same time, he expressed his belief that this is a solid foundation for us to foster friendship and strong cooperative relations in the coming time.

Stating that we are living in a volatile and complex era, with increasing risks, difficulties, challenges and major issues facing each country, President Vo Van Thuong said: Global issues, traditional and non-traditional security continue to evolve in a complex manner, threatening stability and sustainable development. Conflicts and divisions continue in many regions, geopolitical tensions are increasing, multilateralism and international law are facing many challenges.

Therefore, to maintain peace and prosperity for all countries, we need to unite together, promote cooperation; strengthen multilateralism; and comply with the United Nations Charter and international law.

President Vo Van Thuong believes that ambassadors, chargé d'affaires and heads of international organizations will continue to be bridges, typical representatives of goodwill, sincerity, trust, and solidarity, making many practical contributions to promoting close cooperation between Vietnam and other partners around the world.

Palestinian Ambassador to Vietnam Saadi Salama, Head of the Diplomatic Corps, spoke at the ceremony. (Photo: Tuan Viet)

Palestinian Ambassador to Vietnam Saadi Salama, Head of the Diplomatic Corps, affirmed: The era of independence and freedom that opened after the historical milestone has become the foundation for the Vietnamese people to nurture the aspiration to develop and build the country, promote national cultural values ​​and intellectual capacity to enhance the national position.

He expressed his joy at the impressive achievements that Vietnam has made in recent years. Although the world continues to face many challenges, Vietnam's economy has maintained its growth momentum and has always been included in the group of countries with the highest growth rates in the region and the world by many economic, financial and international ranking organizations. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has identified Vietnam as a bright spot "in the gray picture" of the global economy. The achievements of the development process have also brought Vietnam to 32nd place in the group of 100 strongest national brand values ​​in the world. In 2023, Vietnam's "Global Happiness Index" increased by 12 places in the United Nations rankings.

2023 will also witness Vietnam's vibrant diplomatic activities. Vietnam's imprints at the G7 Summit in Japan, the 42nd ASEAN Summit in Indonesia, and many multilateral and bilateral diplomatic conferences continue to affirm Vietnam's independent, self-reliant, and responsible foreign policy to resolve complex issues towards the goal of maintaining peace, stability, and development around the world.

After the ceremony, there was a special art program with many unique performances by Vietnamese artists, praising President Ho Chi Minh, introducing the country and people of Vietnam...

A special performance with many Vietnamese and international artists praising President Ho Chi Minh, the country, and the people of Vietnam. (Photo: Tuan Viet)

Quan Ho Bac Ninh folk song performance. (Source: VNA)

President Vo Van Thuong and his wife Phan Thi Thanh Tam, along with Party and State leaders, presented flowers and took souvenir photos with performing artists. (Photo: Tuan Viet)

International delegates attend the celebration of the 78th National Day, September 2. (Photo: Tuan Viet)