The program not only highlights efforts to maintain the Vietnamese language but also aims to create an emotionally and intellectually rich gathering for overseas Vietnamese communities.
Since early March, the forum has launched its first key activity, which is a global creative competition titled “Vietnam – My Beloved Homeland!” The contest is open to overseas Vietnamese aged up to 35, welcoming both individual and team entries. Participants can submit works in various formats, including writing (essays, poetry, memoirs), visual arts (paintings, photography), and multimedia presentations (videos, audio, reels).
Mr. Tran Anh Tuan, from the Vietnamese Language Center in Budapest, Hungary, and head of the competition’s organizing team, stated that the contest encourages wide participation through individual categories divided into four age groups, as well as team entries. With total prizes worth nearly €3,000, the competition offers not only material rewards but also an opportunity for young people around the world to share inspiring and positive stories about Vietnam. The organizers expect the contest to create a strong impact within overseas Vietnamese communities.
Beyond the competition, numerous initiatives are being undertaken to promote the Vietnamese language and culture abroad. In Hungary, the Vietnamese Youth Group (VIFI), whose members include many alumni of the Budapest Vietnamese Language Center, is hosting a series of ten cultural introduction sessions at Szivárvány Kispest Kindergarten in Budapest.
Local children are engaging in hands-on activities such as decorating for the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, learning folk songs and performing traditional dances. In April, VIFI plans to conclude the program with an artistic showcase and a cultural exhibition at the kindergarten.
On June 21, a key highlight of the event series will be a thematic seminar focusing on preserving the Vietnamese language and promoting Vietnamese culture overseas. Held in both in-person and online formats, the seminar will bring together experts, lecturers, teachers and community activists to share experiences, practical models and innovative initiatives aimed at maintaining the Vietnamese language among younger generations living far from their homeland.
In addition, a cultural exhibition featuring books, paintings and photographs, along with various activities introducing Vietnamese culture, will take place at the Vietnam Cultural Center in France on June 21. The exhibition will showcase Vietnamese language learning materials, books about Vietnam, handicrafts, traditional tea and artistic performances reflecting the country’s rich cultural identity. The event will provide international audiences and Vietnamese communities in France and across Europe with deeper insight into Vietnamese culture.
Mr. Le Xuan Lam, Chairman of the forum, emphasized the significance of the anniversary, noting that over the past five years, the forum has achieved notable successes, particularly in building a network of experts and accumulating valuable experience in preserving the Vietnamese language abroad.
He noted that the collaboration with the Vietnam Cultural Center in France, an important cultural hub for the Vietnamese community in the heart of Europe, marks a new milestone. The first-ever in-person seminar in Paris, with participants from Europe, Asia, and Vietnam, represents the forum’s growing maturity and sets more concrete and practical goals for the future.
