Representative of the Vietnamese Consulate General pose for a photo with the organisers. — Photo Hùng Nguyễn

FUKUOKA — Vietnamese women and families living in Japan’s Kyushu region gathered in Fukuoka to mark International Women’s Day on Sunday (March 8) with a community event focused on preserving Vietnamese culture and language among overseas generations.

Held at the GAG Japanese Language Academy, the programme brought together Vietnamese women, parents and children who are living, studying and working across Kyushu.

Organisers said the event aimed to strengthen community ties while encouraging families to maintain the Vietnamese language among children growing up abroad.

The gathering was jointly organised by the Vietnamese Women’s Association in Kyushu, the Global Network for Teaching Vietnamese Language and Vietnamese Culture and the Association of Vietnamese in Fukuoka, with support from the Consulate General of Việt Nam in Fukuoka.

Speaking at the event, Nguyễn Thu Hương, a representative of the consulate, congratulated Vietnamese women on the occasion of March 8 and praised the efforts of the community in Kyushu to preserve national cultural identity.

The International Women’s Day celebration in Kyushu, Mar. 8. — Photo Hùng Nguyễn

She said the Vietnamese language plays an important role not only as a means of communication but also as a link connecting generations of overseas Vietnamese with their homeland and cultural roots.

She noted that community activities like the gathering help nurture appreciation for the language and strengthen cultural identity among younger generations.

Nguyễn Thị Minh Nguyệt, chairwoman of the Vietnamese Women’s Association in Kyushu, said Vietnamese women play a central role in maintaining family traditions and passing the language to children, particularly for families raising their children overseas.

A highlight of the programme was a talk show titled 'Mother and the Vietnamese Language', where parents and speakers shared experiences of raising children in a multilingual environment.

Participants discussed the challenges of helping children born in Japan maintain Vietnamese in daily family life, as well as practical approaches families have used to keep the language alive at home.

Nguyễn Duy Anh, secretary-general of the Global Network for Teaching Vietnamese Language and Vietnamese Culture and honorary chairman of the Association of Vietnamese in Fukuoka, said families remain the most important environment for language preservation.

“For many children born and raised abroad, the family is the first and most important Vietnamese classroom,” he said.

“It is where they hear, speak and experience the language of their homeland.”

He added that as long as children can still speak Vietnamese and understand traditional folk verses or their mothers’ lullabies, the cultural identity of Vietnamese families can continue to endure across generations.

A child makes a bouquet to give to her mother at the event. — Photo Hùng Nguyễn

The event also featured an áo dài presentation, with parents and children wearing Vietnam’s traditional dress, along with interactive activities including Vietnamese-language games for mothers and children and a message-writing corner dedicated to mothers.

Organisers said the activities were designed not only to celebrate Vietnamese women but also to highlight the role of families in preserving language and cultural values within overseas communities.

The programme ended on an emotional note, leaving participants with a renewed sense of connection and a shared commitment to maintaining Vietnamese cultural identity far from home. — VNS