Portraits of many Czech-Vietnamese people will be on display in the exhibition Little Hanoi, Next Generation on November 2-21 in Hà Nội. Photos courtesy of organisers

HÀ NỘI — The exhibition Little Hanoi, Next Generation is a new photographic project that will bring audience to enter the Vietnamese and Czech cultural scene.

Beginning on November 2 in the Hà Nội's Vincom Centre for Contemporary Art (VCCA), the exhibition presents around sixty stylised portraits of young people of Vietnamese origin who were raised in the Czech Republic, accompanied by landscapes of iconic and historically significant sites in Northern Việt Nam, where many Czech Vietnamese families originate.

These portraits reflect the lives of individuals growing up between two cultures rooted in Czech society, yet deeply connected to Vietnamese heritage.

“Photography is, for me, a way to capture what words often cannot - the (extra)ordinary people, the spirit of the times. It is a bridge that connects generations, cultures, and memories," said photographer Stein, author of the project.

"The project Little Hanoi, Next Generation was born from a deep need to understand and preserve what seems invisible. I believe that, over time, it will gain even greater meaning. It will become a memory that speaks gently, yet clearly. And perhaps even a bridge toward understanding.”

Little Hanoi, Next Generation builds on a photographic series started in 2008 by Stein and Salim Issa, which was the first to explore the topic of the Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic through an artistic lens. At that time, it was a subject barely touched in sociological research, and even less so in art.

Seventeen years later, a new generation has come of age. They are confident, culturally intertwined, and navigating the space between identity and belonging.

From childhood through adolescence to adulthood, the need to belong, to be accepted, and to find one’s place in the world remains universal. At the same time, this generation is forging its own path, one that future generations will continue to follow.

Organised by the Czech Centres and the Embassy of the Czech Republic, the exhibition by photographers Štěpánka Stein and Vendy Mlejnská will debut in Việt Nam until November 21.

It is part of the prestigious Biennale Hanoi Photo ‘25, an international art activity initiated by the French Institute in Việt Nam, in coordination with the Hà Nội Department of Culture and Sports, UNESCO and domestic and international partners.

“The second generation always has it harder than the first. They didn’t choose their life. They were born into it, and now they have to deal with it. And how well they manage - you’ll see at this exhibition,” said Hynek Kmoníček, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Việt Nam.

A press conference chaired by Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Việt Nam Hynek Kmoníček on October 31.

Meanwhile Dana Brabcova, head of Cultural Department Czech Centres, said: "The next generation is the one that will shape the nature of Czech-Vietnamese relations, through its perspective, experience and openness to both cultures.

"I believe this project will be a milestone that opens the way to deeper connections between our communities and inspires the creation of new project, not only in the field of culture," she said.

The project is held under the auspices of the Embassy of the Việt Nam in Prague, with support from its main partner, Sev.en Global Investments.

“We are proud to support Little Hanoi, Next Generation exhibition that goes beyond the borders of art. It is a celebration of mutual respect, enduring partnership and cultural ties between our two countries,” said Veronika Diamantová, representative of Sev.en Global Investments.

Beautiful landscape is also a focus of the exhibition.

After Hà Nội, it will be displayed in HCM City in 2026 before traveling to Prague, where it will open in June 2026. VNS