Nguyễn Mạnh Đông, Vice Chairman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese (SCOV), speaks at the event. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The unions of Vietnamese Associations and of Vietnamese Women's Associations in Europe on January 15 announced the launch of a project on preserving and promoting the homeland’s culture in Europe and its associated online competition on Tết (Lunar New Year festival) – Việt Nam’s biggest annual traditional celebration.

The project aims to act as a cultural bridge connecting generations of Vietnamese people in Europe, fostering a love for the homeland, national pride, and cultural integration. At its core, the competition is the first online initiative designed to preserve and promote Việt Nam's cultural identity within the community. It seeks to connect generations, especially the youth, to their cultural roots while promoting Việt Nam's image internationally and strengthening ties within the overseas Vietnamese (OV) group.

The competition, open to Vietnamese living, studying, and working in Europe, invites entries in the form of photos, paintings, video clips, and literary works. Submissions will be accepted until February 15, with total prizes estimated at 12,000 EUR.

Speaking at the launch ceremony, Nguyễn Mạnh Đông, Vice Chairman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese (SCOV), said that the community remains an invaluable resource contributing to national development. He highlighted the increasingly close connection between the over 6 million Vietnamese abroad and the 100 million citizens at home.

Đông affirmed the importance of cultural and human development as a cornerstone of Việt Nam's growth strategy in the new era. Therefore, OVs, particularly younger generations born abroad, are not only beneficiaries but also ambassadors of Vietnamese culture.

Expressing his confidence in the success of the project and competition, the official noted that the committee will continue to prioritise the conservation of Vietnamese culture, the promotion of the Vietnamese language, and the expansion of outreach and communication with the diaspora.

Nguyễn Việt Triều, a Polish Vietnamese and Chairwoman of the Union of Vietnamese Women's Associations in Europe, acknowledged the strategic vision of Vietnam’s Party and State, which consistently affirms that OVs are an inseparable part and a resource of the nation, playing an essential role in fostering its cooperative and friendly relations with other countries.

In this spirit, the two unions have been actively organising activities to preserve traditional culture and strengthen community bonds, especially among younger generations born and raised abroad, she said. — VNA/VNS