NEWS INFORMATION FROM

THE OFFICE OF COUNCILWOMAN PATRICIA L. STRINGER
City of Harrisburg
King City Government Center
Harrisburg, PA 17101-1678
Telephone: 717.255.3060

FOR IMMEDIATE USE
8 August 2003

VIETNAMESE DELEGATION VISITS HARRISBURG

Harrisburg, PA—A Vietnamese delegation has been visiting the City of Harrisburg during the last two days in an effort to understand how the government and minority populations relate to one another. The visitors, representatives of government committees focused on minority relations and refugee and migrant group resettlement programs.

The visit was arranged through the United States Department of State’s International Visitors Program. The tour included visits to both Philadelphia (August 3 – 6 and Harrisburg from August 7 – 8). While in Harrisburg, as the special guests of Pennsylvania Speaker of the House, John M. Perzel, the delegation met with the following individuals: Norman Bristol-Colon, Executive Director of the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs; Representative Gibson Armstrong (Lancaster County); Mr. Kaaba Brunson, Regional Director of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission; Representative LeAnna M. Washington, Chair, Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus; Councilwoman Patricia L. Stringer, Harrisburg City Council; Jeffrey Baltimore, Minority Business Advocate/Executive Director, Pennsylvania Minority Business and Phyllis Campbell, President and CEO of the Urban League of Lancaster.

In addition, the Vietnamese delegation toured the Capitol Building, had lunch at the Harrisburg Hilton Hotel and enjoyed a reception at the International House sponsored by Harristown Development Corporation, Harrisburg Young Professionals and International House in partnership with Harrisburg Area Community College.

The delegation members, with their ranks and titles were:

• Mrs. Truc Thi Thanh Ho, Specialist, National Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs
• Mr. Dung Cong Hoang, Vice-Chairman, National Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs
• Dr. Thang Ngoc Le, Acting Director, Institute of Ethnology, National Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs
• Mr. Hoan Phuoc Son, Director, Region III (Southern Region) Department, National Committee of Ethnic Minority Affairs
• Dr. Thuat Van Tran, Director, Ethnic Policy Department National Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs
• Mr. Ring Y, Director, Gia Lai Province’s Board of Ethnic Affairs
• Mr. Adrong Ykue, Director, Dak Lak Province’s Board of Ethnic Affairs

While visiting in the Dr. Martin Luther King City Government Center, the delegation had the opportunity to engaged in conversation with two Vietnamese natives Dr. Truong Phuong, Director of the International Service Center and Ms. Dieu-Thanh Bang, employed by the Human Resources Department for the City of Harrisburg. Also, addressing the delegation was Jeffry L. Sanders, Ph.D., Operations Manager of the African American Chamber of Commerce of Central Pennsylvania; Mr. Darnell L. Williams, a private citizen and expert in financial planning and Michael Bowles, Executive Director of the Harrisburg Human Relations Commission. Rounding out the visit, Ms. Linda Lingle, Business Administrator for the City of Harrisburg presented honorary citizenship certificates on behalf of Mayor Stephen R. Reed who was unable to welcome the delegation during their morning visit.

The Harrisburg City Council has hosted delegations in the past from South Africa (2000) and Members of Parliament from Ghana (July 2002) through programs developed by the International Visitors Council of Philadelphia, the National Conference of State Legislatures, and the United States Department of State.

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