Addressing the event, Le Hoang Quan, Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, reviewed the glorious history of the nation. He declared that the victory of the August Revolution is still living proof that “nothing is more precious than independence and freedom”, as late President Ho Chi Minh said.

Under the sound leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, headed by President Ho Chi Minh, the August Revolution ended hundreds of years of colonialism and a thousand years of feudalism to open a new path to socialism.

The HCM City Party and people are proud of their great contributions to the glorious victory, Quan said, expressing gratitude for those who laid down their lives for the cause of national liberation.

He said that since Liberation Day in 1975, the City Party Committee, administration and people have successfully upheld their patriotism and creativity to gain great achievements in the process of national construction.

HCM City has maintained high economic growth, improved the quality of its planning and management, and ensured security and social order, in addition to expanding international cooperation and consolidating its political system.

Quan said in order to achieve even better results, HCM City will maker greater efforts to implement its socio-economic plan, and maintain national security and social order.

Drastic measures will be taken to combat corruption, create a healthy business environment, and build a strong and transparent Party to serve the nation’s industrialisation, modernisation and international integration, he said.

On the occasion, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and leaders of the HCM City Party Committee granted Ho Chi Minh and State Awards, “Labour Hero in the Renewal Process” titles, and Independence and Labour Orders to outstanding organizations and individuals for their contributions the nation.

** On the same day, as many as 30,000 people paid tribute to late President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum in Hanoi.