Numerous highlights honouring Vietnamese language among overseas Vietnamese communities
WVR - The year 2025 marks the third year of implementing the Project "Day of Honouring Vietnamese Language in the Overseas Vietnamese Community for the period 2023-2030" – a strategic initiative aimed at preserving and promoting the national cultural identity.
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On August 14 in Hanoi, the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs (SCOV), under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, organized the Summary Ceremony for the Day of Honouring Vietnamese Language in the Overseas Vietnamese Community in 2025.
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| Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang speaking at the ceremony. (Photo: Duong Tieu) |
Attending the ceremony were Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang; Mr. Nguyen Trung Kien, Chairman of the SCOV; Mr. Tran Nhat Hoang, Deputy Director General of the Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; Mr. Dang Thanh Phuong, Deputy Head of the Department of External Affairs and Overseas Vietnamese, Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front; Prof. Dr. Hoang Anh Tuan, Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities – Vietnam National University, Hanoi.
Also present were Mr. Pham Vinh Thai, Editor-in-Chief of Vietnam Education Publishing House; Ms. Vuong Ngoc Bich, Deputy Head of the Department of Digital Content and Communication, Vietnam Television; Ms. Hoang Kim Thu, Deputy Head of the External Affairs Department, Voice of Vietnam; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Lan Trung, Chairman of the Linguistics Association of Vietnam and Vice President/Secretary General of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations, together with linguistics experts from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities and overseas Vietnamese trainees participating in the 2025 Training Course on Teaching Vietnamese for Overseas Vietnamese Teachers.
In particular, the ceremony was connected online with 33 locations in Vietnam, Vietnamese diplomatic missions abroad, and overseas Vietnamese associations worldwide.
In her speech, Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang affirmed that during every visit by Party and State leaders to overseas Vietnamese communities, the preservation and promotion of the Vietnamese language are always given special attention.
She noted that the donated Vietnamese book collections represent the affection and respect of the leadership for overseas compatriots, and also serve as evidence of the active support and contributions from relevant agencies and organizations.
According to the Deputy Minister, the success of the Project so far is the result of collective effort and solidarity among authorities, associations, and the overseas Vietnamese community.
She emphasized that the closing ceremony is an opportunity to exchange and listen to opinions, share difficulties in teaching and spreading Vietnamese, while expressing her hope that agencies and compatriots will continue to support and contribute ideas to make activities honoring the Vietnamese language more engaging, modern, accessible, and suitable for each country’s context.
Reporting on the implementation of the Project, Mr. Nguyen Trung Kien, Chairman of the SCOV, said that in 2025, activities responding to the Project were vibrant both inside and outside Vietnam, with notable highlights such as the Launching Ceremony of the Day Honoring the Vietnamese Language and the contest “Searching for Vietnamese Language Ambassadors Abroad”, which attracted over 50 contestants from 15 countries. Additional Vietnamese book collections were created and distributed in many regions, with more than 5,600 books and teaching materials provided to communities.
Significantly, Vietnamese was integrated into cultural programs such as Vietnam Summer Camp 2025, art exchange programs, and community activities.
Furthermore, ministries, localities, and press agencies actively participated. Notable examples include: Ho Chi Minh City donating six book collections to communities in South Korea, Japan, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, and Laos; localities such as An Giang and Dong Nai donating books and scholarships to Vietnamese-origin students in Cambodia; and many teaching initiatives from Vietnamese diplomatic missions and community associations worldwide.
Despite these achievements, there are still difficulties in implementation due to uneven outreach, limited funding and personnel, and a lack of awareness among some overseas Vietnamese about the importance of preserving Vietnamese for younger generations.
Going forward, the SCOV aims to strengthen communication, diversify activities, encourage greater participation from associations and youth, and integrate Vietnamese language promotion with cultural, artistic, and sports initiatives.
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| Mr. Tran Nhat Hoang, Deputy Director General of the Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, speaking at the event. (Photo: Duong Tieu) |
At the event, Mr. Tran Nhat Hoang emphasized the role of culture, language, and art as enduring bonds connecting the overseas Vietnamese community with national identity, homeland, and roots.
He proposed maintaining regular events and cost-effective yet impactful activities such as Vietnamese Film Weeks, while also creating more open mechanisms to encourage contributions from overseas Vietnamese and promote the role of “Cultural Ambassadors” within the community to spread Vietnamese cultural values sustainably.
Mr. Pham Vinh Thai, Editor-in-Chief of Vietnam Education Publishing House, affirmed continued support for Vietnamese language promotion activities, including donating more book collections and providing educational materials to overseas compatriots, thereby fostering a culture of reading.
Ms. Tran Thi Thu Ha, Deputy Head of the External Affairs Department of Vietnam Television, shared solutions to make Vietnamese more accessible and appealing to overseas youth. Representatives of Vietnamese diplomatic missions in Poland and Malaysia also provided updates on the teaching and learning of Vietnamese in their localities.
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| Delegates taking commemorative photos at the ceremony. (Photo: Duong Tieu) |
The ceremony also featured contributions from delegates in various countries, including 2024 Vietnamese Language Ambassador Nguyen The Duong from Australia; 2024 Ambassador Lanny Phetnion from Nguyen Du Bilingual School in Laos; Nguyen Duy Anh, Chairman of the Vietnamese Association in Fukuoka, Japan; and Ngo Thi Bac, President of the Union of Vietnamese Women’s Associations in the Southwest Region of South Korea, who also participated in the 2025 Training Course on Teaching Vietnamese for Overseas Vietnamese Teachers.
The ceremony concluded in an enthusiastic atmosphere with many heartfelt ideas. Expressing gratitude, SCOV Chairman Nguyen Trung Kien affirmed that the delegates’ proposals provide valuable foundations for the Committee to continue working with ministries and localities to adjust, supplement, and design practical activities, contributing to the spread of Vietnamese and the preservation of cultural identity within overseas Vietnamese communities around the world.
