At a traditional bánh chưng making event in Phnom Penh on January 27. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The Vietnamese communities around the world have organised various vibrant festive activities to celebrate Lunar New Year (Tết), the most important traditional festival for Vietnamese people.

The Đồng Xuân Market in Berlin, Germany, is alive with activity as the Vietnamese community prepares for the Tết celebration. Despite the holiday falling on a weekday, many Vietnamese living in Berlin take time off work to visit the market, where they can purchase traditional Tết items like bánh chưng (square sticky rice cake).

For those eager to make their own Tết specialties, ingredients like “dong” leaves and sticky rice are also readily available. The market offers the Vietnamese diaspora an opportunity to reconnect with their cultural roots and share the festive spirit with their families.

In addition to the bustling market, Vietnamese traditions are further celebrated at the Phổ Đà Pagoda in Berlin, where a community gathering is held to prepare bánh chưng as part of a charitable event.

Similarly, in Russia, where many Vietnamese live thousands of kilometres from home, the Liublino Market in Moscow offers everything needed for a complete Tết celebration. From bánh chưng to fresh flowers, the market provides items to help Vietnamese families celebrate the holiday and pass on traditions to younger generations.

For young Vietnamese like Nguyễn Hoàng Anh Dũng, this marks a special moment of connection to their heritage, as they make bánh chưng with their families. The celebration extends beyond the Vietnamese community, with local Russian friends learning about the cultural significance of Tết and participating in the festivities.

On January 26, the Vietnamese community and Women's Associations in Leipzig held a Tết celebration. Ambassador Vũ Quang Minh praised the community’s contributions to Leipzig’s political, cultural, and economic life, and announced plans for future collaborations between the city and Việt Nam.

Sebastian Kratsch, head of Business Services in Leipzig, highlighted the growing Vietnamese presence in the city, with over 4,300 Vietnamese residents, contributing significantly to local development.

In Cottbus, the Vietnamese community also celebrated Tết, with Chargé d’Affaires Chu Tuấn Đức expressing his gratitude for the city’s support of integration efforts. He noted the community’s spirit of charity, exemplified by their fundraising for victims of Typhoon Yagi in 2024. Freising also saw a warm Tết celebration with over 300 attendees, where Consul General Lư Xuân Đồng praised the community’s cultural initiatives and emphasised the importance of teaching Vietnamese to younger generations.

On the occasion of Tết, Viettel Cambodia (Metfone), a subsidiary of Viettel, hosted a traditional "bánh chưng" making event in Phnom Penh on January 27. This event aimed to bring the Tết atmosphere to Vietnamese expatriates in Cambodia while promoting solidarity and preserving cultural traditions.

By the end of the event, more than 300 bánh chưng and bánh tét were made and distributed to Metfone’s offices and branches across Cambodia as Tết gifts.

Metfone’s CEO, Cao Mạnh Đức, emphasised that such activities help preserve Việt Nam’s cultural heritage and foster a sense of unity within the company. He expressed his hope that despite being far from home, Vietnamese expatriates could still feel the warmth of Tết. The event also helped strengthen cultural exchange between Vietnamese and Cambodian communities, enhancing the friendship between the two nations, he added.

Mey Ling, a Cambodian employee, expressed her joy in participating, noting similarities between Vietnamese and Cambodian Tết traditions, such as making "bánh tét" during Cambodia's Chol Chhnam Thmey festival.

Many other Vietnamese organisations in Cambodia are also holding similar Tết celebrations to spread the festive spirit.

Also on January 27, the Vietnamese Embassy in Tanzania held the "Xuân Quê Hương" (Homeland Spring) celebration, bringing together the Vietnamese community, expatriates, and embassy staff in Tanzania and other East African countries. The event highlighted Tết as a time for family reunion and the celebration of cultural values.

Ambassador Vũ Thanh Huyền outlined Việt Nam's impressive achievements in 2024, including a 7 per cent GDP growth and significant foreign policy successes that enhanced the country's global position. She underlined that the Vietnamese Government commits to supporting overseas citizens, particularly in Tanzania.

The ambassador praised the community’s contributions and the charitable efforts of companies like Halotel-Tanzania and Lumitel-Burundi, which have strengthened ties with the local population. Additionally, she thanked the community for donations to victims of Typhoon Yagi and expressed her gratitude to Honourary Consul of Việt Nam to Uganda King Ceasor for his collaboration with the embassy.

Next year, in 2025, Việt Nam will celebrate key milestones, including the 95th anniversary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam and the 50th anniversary of reunification. Ambassador Huyền called for continued cooperation from the community. — VNS