Hundreds mark 50 years since Saigon was renamed

Hundreds of Vietnamese Americans gathered in Westminster, California, for the Saigon Day 2026 Grand Commemoration, a rallying point for efforts to restore the name Saigon 50 years after it was changed. The event mixed remembrance, interfaith prayer, speeches and cultural performances aimed at preserving the city’s historical identity across generations.

Why it matters: - Saigon Day 2026 turned a historical grievance into a public show of identity, memory and political advocacy. - Organizers framed the event as part of a longer campaign to restore the name Saigon and pass that memory to younger Vietnamese Americans. - The commemoration underscored how the name Saigon remains central to refugee identity, especially in Little Saigon and other diaspora communities.

What happened: - Hundreds of Vietnamese Americans gathered at the Vietnam War Memorial in Westminster, California, for the Saigon Day 2026 Grand Commemoration. - The event marked 50 years since the name Saigon was removed in 1976 and was presented as a call to restore the name. - The gathering included religious leaders, elected officials, civic and community organizations, intellectuals, artists, media members and guests from multiple regions. - The event was organized by the Saigon For Saigon Movement with the Great Viet Party, Humanist Socialist Party, Assembly For Democracy of Vietnam, Vietnam Democracy Federation, Vietnam Human Rights Network, Movement of the Vietnam Laity in Diaspora and Vietnamese Nationalist Party. - Westminster Mayor Nguyễn Mạnh Chí addressed the crowd in Vietnamese and English. - Pharmacist Cao Xuân Thanh Ngọc spoke in English about what Saigon means to successive generations of Vietnamese people. - Võ Minh Thư, 26, a Vietnamese American born in San Jose, California, delivered one of the most emotional speeches. - Phạm Thiên Thanh, chairwoman of Vietnam Democracy Federation, read the Saigon Day 2026 Declaration.

The details: - The commemoration focused on the July 1976 renaming of Saigon by the Communist government of Vietnam. - Organizers said Saigon represents history, culture, a way of life and collective memory tied to the former free society of South Vietnam. - The program opened with a prayer led by Venerable Thich Minh Tuyen, Third Supreme Patriarch of the World Mendicant Buddhist Sangha, representing the Interfaith Council. - Phan Thanh Châu, chairman of the organizing committee, welcomed guests from Atlanta, Dallas, San Jose, Europe and Australia. - Father Andrew Nguyễn Hữu Lễ, founder of the Saigon For Saigon Movement in 2006, said the movement has spent 20 years defending the name Saigon as part of Vietnamese history. - Father Andrew Nguyễn Hữu Lễ also blamed Hồ Chí Minh for deaths in Saigon and linked that argument to the 1968 Tet Offensive. - Lý Thanh Liêm, executive director of the Saigon For Saigon Movement, said the commemoration was meant to restore truth to history and “return the soul to the nation.” - The movement thanked religious leaders, elected officials, the organizing committee, participating organizations, members of the media and attendees who traveled from near and far. - The cultural program included the Xuân Điềm Prisoner Songs Ensemble performing “Return to Me the Name Saigon.” - Singer Phong Dinh performed “Saigon Dreams of the Day of Reunion,” composed by Trần Chí Phúc. - The daytime program concluded with a call to continue the movement’s work. - A later “Saigon Night” program extended the commemoration with music and remembrance. - Organizers said the message from Little Saigon was that Saigon lives on in memory, culture and the consciousness of Vietnamese people worldwide.

Between the lines: - The event was not just commemorative. It doubled as a diaspora identity rally and a political statement against historical erasure. - The emphasis on younger speakers, interfaith participation and overseas guests suggested an effort to keep the campaign relevant beyond the first generation of refugees. - The repeated focus on culture, music and memory showed the movement trying to anchor a political demand in emotional and generational continuity.

What's next: - The Saigon For Saigon Movement said its campaign will continue after the 2026 commemoration. - Organizers are keeping the goal of restoring the name Saigon in public view for Vietnamese communities inside and outside Vietnam. - The movement said future efforts will focus on preserving historical memory and sustaining support across generations. - The group also pointed to more than four million Vietnamese overseas as part of the living legacy of Saigon.