Deputy FM Le Thi Thu Hang meets with representatives of Italian universities and the overseas Vietnamese community
WVR - During a working visit to Italy, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang and a delegation from the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs engaged with the community and met representatives from Italian universities to commemorate Vietnamese Language Honour Day.
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On September 11, at the headquarters of the Vietnamese Embassy in Italy, the delegation met with representatives from the University of Naples "L'Orientale", University of Turin, and Ca' Foscari University to discuss the teaching and learning of Vietnamese in Italy on the occasion of Vietnamese Language Honour Day among the overseas Vietnamese community. The meeting was also attended by Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Duong Hai Hung and Embassy staff.
Ambassador Duong Hai Hung informed the delegation that the Embassy has recently focused on vibrant activities to promote culture and spread the Vietnamese language in Italy through seminars, donating Vietnamese books to libraries, schools, researchers, and the community, and bringing delegations from Vietnam to visit Vietnamese language teaching institutions to enhance exchanges, foster cooperation, and attract the interest and support of the local community and residents.
Ms. Le Thuy Hien, a lecturer at the University of Naples "L'Orientale", stated that the university is one of Italy's oldest and most prestigious institutions in teaching and researching languages, socio-cultural studies, and various other fields.
Currently, the university offers over 40 foreign languages, with Vietnamese classes initiated as a language lab course in the 2018-2019 academic year, attracting a large number of students. By the 2023-2024 academic year, Vietnamese was officially included in the Bachelor's program in Asian and African Languages and Cultures. Alongside the courses, the university actively organizes numerous extracurricular activities, seminars, and cultural exchanges.
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| Deputy Foreign Minister Le Thi Thu Hang presents books to representatives of three universities. |
Professor Pietro Masina from the University of Naples "L'Orientale" added that the university is currently collaborating with several Vietnamese universities and research institutes, such as Hanoi University and the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences.
Some Italian students, after completing their Vietnamese courses in Naples, are awarded scholarships to further their Vietnamese studies at Hanoi University. The professor expressed a desire for more educational cooperation agreements and the establishment of a Southeast Asian research centre at the university.
Ms. Le Thi Bich Huong, a Vietnamese language lecturer and President of the Italy-Vietnam Cultural Bridge Association, represented Ca' Foscari University and the University of Turin at the meeting.
Ms. Huong shared that the first Vietnamese Language and Literature course was launched in the 1999-2000 academic year and has been maintained for many years at the Faculty of Foreign Languages and Modern Literature, University of Turin. In the 2024-2025 academic year, 111 students have registered for the Vietnamese Experimental Class. Besides the bachelor's program, Ca' Foscari University plans to introduce a master's program in Vietnamese in the future.
To meet student demand, Ca' Foscari University also plans to launch a dual-degree program with Vietnamese universities to facilitate student exchanges between Italy and Vietnam for those seeking dual degrees.
Ms. Huong thanked the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs for organizing training courses for overseas Vietnamese language teachers, noting that she has participated since 2016 and finds the program very beneficial and practical.
She hopes for continued support from Vietnam in providing Vietnamese teaching materials, bilingual books on various topics to enrich the learning and research resources at the universities.
Due to distance, Professor Marzia Casolari from the University of Turin delivered her remarks online.
The delegation also received congratulatory letters on the occasion of Vietnamese Language Honour Day from Ms. Sandra Scagliotti, Honorary Consul of Vietnam in Torino, Director of the Vietnam Center, and Professor Laura De Giorgi, Head of the Department of Asian and North African Studies at Ca' Foscari University of Venice.
Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Foreign Minister Le Thi Thu Hang praised the efforts of the Embassy and Ambassador Duong Hai Hung for their dedication in spreading the Vietnamese language and culture in Italy. She noted that Vietnamese is not only popular within the community but also taught at Italy's prestigious and long-standing universities. This reflects the academic interest in Vietnam and is a vivid testament to the positive and sustainable development of bilateral relations between the two countries.
The Deputy Foreign Minister commended the dedication and positive contributions of the professors and lecturers at Italian universities in promoting cultural exchanges and enhancing mutual understanding between the two nations.
Recently, the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affirs has collaborated with the Education Publishing House to provide books for establishing Vietnamese book collections abroad, donating books to libraries, and meeting the teaching and learning needs of the Vietnamese language within the community.
The Deputy Foreign Minister acknowledged the proposals to serve as a basis for suggesting programs and activities to honour and spread the Vietnamese language in the future.
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| Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang visits Foyer Phat Diem. |
On the afternoon of September 12, the delegation visited Father Tran Manh Duyet, Director of Foyer Phat Diem, and Father Dinh Cong Lich, Deputy Director and President of the Vietnamese Religious Association in Rome, along with the nuns there, to discuss the country's socio-economic development achievements, religious policies of the Party and State, as well as the progress in Vietnam-Vatican relations.
The Deputy Foreign Minister informed them about activities organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs and expressed a desire for the priests to participate and frequently visit Vietnam to witness the rapid and strong development of their homeland.
Father Tran Manh Duyet, Director of Foyer Phat Diem, informed the delegation about the activities of Foyer Phat Diem, expressed joy at the country's changes, and supported the increasingly positive development of Vietnam-Vatican relations.
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| The delegation takes a commemorative photo with the priests and nuns at Foyer Phat Diem. |
On the morning of September 13, at the Embassy headquarters, the delegation and Mr. Bui Thanh An, Standing Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghe An Province, met with a group of experts, intellectuals, and young overseas Vietnamese in Rome.
The meeting was attended by over 10 overseas Vietnamese experts and intellectuals working at several international organizations in Rome, such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Alliance of Bioversity and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), and some outstanding students from the Vietnamese Student Association in Italy.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan Huong, currently Head of Research and Strategic Policy Development at FAO, noted that there are currently only about 10 Vietnamese working at international organizations in Italy. Although the number is small, Vietnamese individuals are generally highly regarded for their competence and reputation.
Ms. Huong expressed a desire for more Vietnamese presence in international organizations in Italy and is ready to support and share information about internship and job opportunities there.
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| Deputy Foreign Minister Le Thi Thu Hang meets with Vietnamese experts, intellectuals, and students in Italy. |
Ms. Vu Bich Diep, Master of Finance and Banking, President of the Vietnamese Student Association in Italy, informed the delegation that the number of Vietnamese students in Italy is rapidly increasing, currently around 2000.
Recently, the association has played an active role in connecting and supporting the study and living conditions of Vietnamese students, spreading the spirit of enthusiastic and responsible Vietnamese students within the community, and expressing a desire to participate in foreign affairs activities to gain more experience and contribute to the bilateral relations.
Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Bui Thanh An, Standing Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghe An Province, stated that the province is actively implementing four strategic resolutions, striving to develop rapidly and sustainably by 2030, expanding international cooperation, and becoming an attractive new investment destination.
Mr. Bui Thanh An hopes that the overseas Vietnamese community will be more involved in the province's FDI projects and support the province in enhancing cooperation with international organizations to implement projects on environmental protection, climate change adaptation, agricultural transformation, and promoting science, technology, and innovation, thereby contributing to the overall development of the country.
On behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Deputy Minister informed the community about policies to attract Vietnamese experts, intellectuals, and talents back to work in Vietnam, including Resolution 57 on the development of science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation. She emphasized that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is coordinating with relevant ministries and sectors to continue creating favorable legal frameworks, guidelines, and policies to attract top experts to work in Vietnam, contributing to the country's development in the new era.
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| The delegation takes a commemorative photo with Vietnamese experts, intellectuals, and students in Italy. |
The Deputy Foreign Minister expressed pride in the increasing presence of Vietnamese individuals in international organizations, especially those holding leadership and team leader positions with high credibility. She hopes the community will continue to serve as a bridge, sharing information, and supporting young people to experience international work environments, contributing to promoting friendly cooperation between Vietnam and other countries.
The Deputy Foreign Minister also urged the Vietnamese Student Association to continue leveraging the strengths of youth in supporting and assisting the community, participating in Vietnamese language teaching, and promoting Vietnamese culture in the host country.
(Source: MOFA)
