Ambassador Michael Michalak works with a professional preservationist to apply gild to a statue restored through the AFCP

During a trip to Ho Chi Minh City, Ambassador Michael Michalak visited the Museum of Vietnamese History to observe restoration of some of the museum’s Buddha statues through the Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation. Among 17 Buddha statues whose restoration was funded under this project, the one that impressed the delegation the most was the 19th century, Amitaba-wood statue from Khai Tuong Pagoda. This large statue, 196cm height and 135 cm in width, was carved out of the jackfruit tree and covered in red lacquer and emulsified gold. This statue was created at the behest of Emperor Minh Mạng (1820-1840). The Khải Tường pagoda was formerly located in the area of the current Museum of War Memorials. The pagoda was destroyed by the French colonists in the 19th century. The Ambassador and Acting Consul General Angela Dickey were both able to get hands-on experience applying gild to one of the statues.