The Vietnamese Embassy in Belgium on September 5th hosted a banquet on the occasion of the 69th anniversary of Vietnam’s National Day (September 2nd), with the participation of the Vietnamese community in the country and foreign guests.

Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the European Union (EU) Pham Sanh Chau reviewed achievements Vietnam has gained over the past 69 years, saying that they have been recognised by the international community.

Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the European Union (EU) Pham Sanh Chau delivers a speech at the ceremony. Photo: Vietnam+

He hailed the progress of the relationship between Vietnam and Belgium and the EU as a whole, with a wide range of activities successfully held last year to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the bilateral ties.

Praising the great contributions made by the Vietnamese community in Belgium to the national development, the ambassador expressed hope that they will continue promoting solidarity and looking towards the homeland.

Participants at the event also had a chance to enjoy Vietnamese music and traditional food.

Earlier, Vietnam’s Consulate General in San Francisco, the US, and municipal authorities held a ceremony and raised the Vietnamese flag in celebration of the country’s 69th National Day.

Consul General Nguyen Ba Hung and San Francisco’s Chief of Protocol, Charlotte Mailliard Schultz, hoisted the flag together.

Ceremony participants included representatives of the Consulate, the US Department of State, the San Francisco-Ho Chi Minh City Sister City Committee and the local Vietnamese community.

The guests congratulated the Vietnamese government on the occasion of National Day, expressing their hope that the comprehensive Vietnam-US relations will be deepened further in the future.

Schultz handed over a statement signed by Mayor Edwin Lee to Hung, declaring that September 2nd, 2014, is a day of US-Vietnam heritage and friendship in San Francisco City and County.

Source: VNA