Students gather for a group photo at the opening of the first Vietnamese language class in Nice, France, in June this year. — Photo from Facebook of the Confederation of Vietnamese Associations in Europe

HÀ NỘI — The Vietnamese Cultural Centre in France (CCV), in collaboration with the Association for Vietnamese Culture and Life (Assovie Vietnam), has launched a contest themed Tiếng Việt Trong Tim Con (Vietnamese Language in My Heart).

The event will be held in celebration of Việt Nam Culture Day (November 24).

It will be officially open on September 8, 2026, for children between six and 12 years old from Vietnamese families living in France and European countries. The awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on November 21, 2026.

September 8 is designated annually as the Day for Honouring the Vietnamese Language within the overseas Vietnamese community.

The contest aims to inspire a love for the Vietnamese language and encourage children to cherish and confidently use it, while also spreading Vietnamese culture.

Candidates are divided into two groups. One (VN) is for those whose parents are both Vietnamese, and the other (V.EU) is for those whose mother or father is Vietnamese.

The grouping aims to ensure a fairer assessment for candidates from different environments of Vietnamese-language use, according to the event's organising board.

Each must create a video spoken entirely in Vietnamese, with a maximum duration of three minutes. He/she may choose one of three presentation format options. The first option is to recite a poem or tell a story in Vietnamese, such as a fairy tale, fable, folktale or a work of children's literature. The second is to give a presentation introducing a dish, custom, holiday or feature of traditional Vietnamese culture. The third is to read a letter to a loved one in Việt Nam or to the Vietnamese homeland.

A teacher introducing Vietnamese popular foods for children at a Vietnamese language class. September 8 is designated annually as the Day for Honouring the Vietnamese Language within the overseas Vietnamese community. — Photo baochinhphu.vn

Organisers require contestants to use Vietnamese exclusively for their presentations. The video must be no longer than three minutes and may be filmed in either portrait or landscape orientation, preferring high resolution. Contestants must appear on camera and present the content themselves. Video content must be wholesome, positive, and age-appropriate.

Parents can assist contestants with filming, editing, post-production, and technical matters. They are also responsible for registering, submitting the entry, and providing consent for theỉ children participation. Each contestant can submit only one entry.

In particular, all content, images, materials, maps and symbols used in the videos must be accurate and compliant with the laws of both Việt Nam and the host country. They must not contain content that distorts Việt Nam's history, culture, sovereignty, borders or territory.

Through a creative, age-appropriate, and engaging format, the contest aims to create a 'playground' where Vietnamese children in France and Europe can use the Vietnamese language naturally, confidently, and expressively, according to the organisers.

In doing so, the contest helps connect families and the Vietnamese community across France and Europe, while spreading Vietnamese cultural values ​​through the bright and pure perspective of the younger generation, the organisers said.

Vietnamese language promoted overseas

A project approved by the Government in August 2022 on 'Day for Honouring the Vietnamese Language in the Overseas Vietnamese Community' in the period 2023-2030, has affirmed the language's role as a bond connecting the overseas Vietnamese to their homeland, preserving national identity and contributing to the promotion of Vietnamese culture to the world.

The initiative aims to raise awareness among overseas Vietnamese, particularly the younger generation, about the value of the Vietnamese language, while encouraging the study, use, and preservation of their mother tongue. 

The project selects September 8 as the Day for Honouring the Vietnamese Language within the Overseas Vietnamese Community. 

Before and during the day, overseas Vietnamese representatives and diplomatic organs should collaborate with local authorities and embassies in host countries to organise programmes promoting languages, integrating the celebration of the Day for Honouring the Vietnamese Language into local diplomatic activities.

Numerous programmes, including Vietnamese language contests and classes, Vietnamese teacher training courses, and Vietnamese book donations, have been organised, generating widespread impact in overseas communities. — VNS