Việt Nam marks the 80th National Day in Vienna, Austria. VNS Photos Thai Tran

VIENNA – Celebration to commemorate the 80th National Day of Việt Nam was held at Palais Niederosterreich, Vienna, with a special remark of Vietnamese culture and cuisine on August 28. The celebration took place at a signature landmark of Austria's capital.

Presented at the ceremony was the foreign corps, international organisations and representatives of United Nations agencies in Vienna. And last but not least, the Vietnamese community living in Austria brought the Vietnamese vibe and soul to the celebration.

Vietnamese community, foreign corps and UN agencies commemorate Việt Nam's 80th National Day in Vienna.

"On National Day, we all look back at the historic and glorious path that brought us where we are today," Ambassador Vũ Lê Thái Hoàng told the audience. "We once again reiterate our common desire to integrate Việt Nam deeper into the world. Today in Vienna, Phở of Việt Nam once again win the hearts of our international friends."

We Love Phở, a network of Vietnamese expatriates living across Europe brought its signature to the celebration with President Mai Hải Lâm from Warsaw, Trần Thái from the United Kingdom and PHOCKAREN with its CEO Thắng Trần from Slovakia.

We Love Phở launches its German- Vietnamese booklet to broaden the flavours of the dish in Europe.

"Phở is more than just a meal," Lâm told Việt Nam News online. "It's a cultural bridge that can bring Việt Nam closer to the world. It embodies our national identity and has the potential to become a cultural heritage ID for our country. Sharing a bowl of phở is a communal experience that fosters connection." 

PHOCKAREN is thrilled to be a part of this special event, said CEO Thắng Trần. "We have prepared over 200 bowls of the best phở to cater to this event. We've also put highest care to the presentation of the dish, to show that phở is more than just a soup; it's a true cultural identity of Việt Nam."

We Love Phở President Mai Hải Lâm and La Hồng Nhựt (right), well-established fashion designer with his label La Hong in Austria.

The fragrance of the boiling hot phở pot in a landmark building in the heart of Europe, Vienna, not only delivered the warmth of Vietnamese souls to the world, it also connected the scattered Vietnamese, who came to live in the city under very different circumstances.

Phở-global: We Love Phở members (from left) Warsaw, Slovakia and the United Kingdom.

The We Love Phở team also set up a Hà Nội corner in Vienna with some exhibits to set up a nostalgic space of home for the Vietnamese community. The team also launched its bilingual booklet on Phở in German and Vietnamese to the audience.

More of National Day celebrated in Europe shall be organised leading to the big day on September 2. VNS