Unity for strength, integration for development: Ambassador Duong Hoai Nam
WVR - On the occasion of the first Vietnam National Great Unity Day in Europe held in Prague, alongside the 3rd Congress and the 10th Anniversary of the establishment of the Union of Vietnamese Associations in Europe (October 30–November 1, 2026), Vietnamese Ambassador to Czech Duong Hoai Nam shared his thoughts on the significance of the event, the role of community connection, and solutions to strengthen unity and connect the younger generation with their homeland.
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Ambassador, the first Vietnam National Great Unity Day in Europe is being held in Prague, the capital of Czech. What are your views on the message and significance of this event?
Firstly, I believe that the first Vietnam National Great Unity Day in Europe, held in Prague, the capital of Czech, is a highly significant event not only for the Vietnamese community in Europe but also for consolidating the great national unity bloc, affirming the position and contributions of the Vietnamese community, and enhancing the friendship between Vietnam and European countries, including Czech.
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| Vietnamese Ambassador to Czech Duong Hoai Nam. (Source: Vietnamese Embassy in Czech) |
In my opinion, the core message of the event is unity, connection, and a shared focus on our roots and building the future together. Regardless of where they live, study, or work, every overseas Vietnamese is an inseparable part of the Vietnamese national community. Love for the homeland, the consciousness of preserving cultural identity, the Vietnamese language, and family traditions are the strong threads that connect our compatriots worldwide to the homeland.
The event is also an opportunity for the Vietnamese community in Europe to enhance exchanges, share experiences, and connect associations, thereby harnessing collective strength and awakening a sense of responsibility towards the country's development.
In a rapidly changing world, the spirit of unity is even more important, helping the overseas Vietnamese community support one another, integrate successfully into local societies, and actively contribute to the cooperative relations between Vietnam and other countries.
The choice of Prague as the venue for the first event is also highly commendable. Czech is home to a large, dynamic, and well-integrated Vietnamese community and is one of Vietnam's strategic partners with important traditional friendly relations in Europe. Over generations, the Vietnamese community in Czech has become an important bridge between the peoples of the two countries, contributing to people-to-people exchanges, economic cooperation, and promoting Vietnam's image.
I hope that the Festival will not just be a meeting and exchange event but also a catalyst to strengthen the bond between generations of Vietnamese in Europe, especially the younger generation; so that everyone can take pride in their roots, actively preserve the nation's good cultural values, and make practical contributions to the homeland and the society where they live.
Great national unity is the strength of the Vietnamese nation. When we share the same roots, the same responsibilities, and aspirations for development, geographical distances cannot diminish the bond of compatriots. I am confident that the message of the Festival will continue to spread strongly, contributing to building a more united, strong, deeply integrated Vietnamese community in Europe that always looks towards the homeland.
Accompanying the movements of the Vietnamese community in Czech and Europe, how do you evaluate the highlights of the Union of Vietnamese Associations in Europe in recent times?
It can be affirmed that over the past decade, the Union of Vietnamese Associations in Europe has gradually established its role as an important connecting hub for the Vietnamese community in European countries.
The highlight is that the Union has contributed to connecting associations, enhancing exchanges, and coordinating activities among the Vietnamese communities in various countries, while promoting the preservation of the Vietnamese language, cultural identity, and national traditions. Activities aimed at the homeland, supporting compatriots in the country, promoting Vietnam's image, and enhancing exchanges with local people also reflect the responsibility and attachment of overseas Vietnamese to the homeland.
I believe that the important value of the Union lies not only in the scale of its organization or the number of activities but also in its ability to awaken the spirit of compatriots, build trust, and turn emotional attachments into practical actions. In the context of the increasingly diverse Vietnamese community in Europe in terms of generations, professions, living conditions, and levels of integration, this connecting role becomes even more necessary.
What solutions will be emphasised to continue strengthening the great unity bloc within the Vietnamese community in Europe, especially in Czech, particularly in connecting the younger generation and those born and raised there with their homeland?
Regarding solutions for the future, I believe we should focus on a number of directions:
Firstly, strengthen unity based on respecting differences and harmonizing interests. Associations need to enhance dialogue, coordination, and experience sharing, promote the role of reputable individuals, and create conditions for various community members to participate. Unity does not mean everyone must be the same, but rather aiming towards common values: compatriotism, mutual respect, preserving Vietnamese identity, and the desire to contribute to the homeland.
Secondly, place the younger generation at the centre of the community connection process. Vietnamese born and raised in Czech and other European countries have many advantages in language, knowledge, technology, and international connectivity. We need to create more spaces for them to participate in association activities, take on leadership roles, organize cultural, educational, volunteer, and youth exchange projects. More importantly, we need to listen to the voices, needs, and approaches of the younger generation, rather than just expecting them to fully continue the activities of the previous generation.
Thirdly, make the homeland more relatable to the younger generation through specific experiences. Teaching and learning Vietnamese should be linked with lively activities such as summer camps, homeland programs, exploring Vietnam's history, culture, cuisine, and exchanges with youth in the country. Additionally, expand connection programs in education, science, technology, entrepreneurship, and innovation so that young people can contribute with their expertise and strengths. Love for the homeland will be more sustainable when nurtured by understanding, positive experiences, and real opportunities to contribute.
Fourthly, enhance coordination between associations, Vietnamese Representative Missions, and Vietnamese organizations in Europe. In Czech, we always consider the Vietnamese community as an important bridge in the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries. The Embassy wishes to continue accompanying, supporting practical initiatives, promoting exchanges between generations, and creating conditions for the community to better fulfill its role as a bridge in economics, culture, education, and people-to-people exchanges.
I am confident that each generation of overseas Vietnamese has its own way of expressing love for the homeland. The previous generation built the community with diligence, the will to rise, and the spirit of mutual support. Today's young generation can continue those values with knowledge, creativity, and the ability to integrate internationally. The important thing is that we create a connection between the experience of the previous generation and the aspirations of the next generation.
Great national unity is not only about attachment to the past but also about the responsibility to build the future together. I hope that every Vietnamese in Czech and across Europe, regardless of age, occupation, or place of residence, feels that they always have a common home in the Vietnamese nation, always have the opportunity to contribute to the community, and are always welcomed when they look towards the homeland.
From this special milestone, what message does the Ambassador want to convey to the Vietnamese community in Czech and across Europe about the spirit of unity, the responsibility of integration, and the connection with the homeland?
From this special milestone, I want to send a message to the entire Vietnamese community in Czech and across Europe: No matter where we live, which generation we belong to, or what work we do, the bond of compatriots and national roots is always the strongest connection; unity is strength, integration is the path to development, and looking towards the homeland is the sacred emotion and responsibility of every Vietnamese.
Firstly, I hope our compatriots continue to promote the tradition of unity, mutual support, and helping each other in life, work, and study. The Vietnamese community in Czech has gone through a long journey of building and developing, gradually affirming its position in the local society. These achievements are created from diligence, the will to rise, the spirit of overcoming difficulties, and the attachment of many generations. We need to cherish these values, while enhancing dialogue, respecting differences, and building an increasingly strong, civilized, and compassionate community.
Secondly, I hope every Vietnamese continues to actively integrate deeply into the local society, comply with the law, promote their capabilities, and contribute positively to the development of the country where they live. Integration does not mean losing identity; on the contrary, when we live well, work well, succeed in study, business, and profession, we also contribute to building a dynamic, friendly, responsible, and reliable image of Vietnam. For the Vietnamese community in Czech, this is also a practical way to foster traditional friendship and the Strategic Partnership between the two countries.
Thirdly, I especially hope that the younger generation, especially those born and raised in Europe, always nurture understanding and pride in their Vietnamese roots. You may hold different nationalities, use multiple languages, and grow up in diverse cultural environments, but you can still preserve the Vietnamese language, learn about national history, and appreciate the family values and good traditions of your ancestors. I also hope you become bridges connecting Vietnam with Europe through knowledge, talent, creativity, and practical contributions to society.
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| The Union of Vietnamese Associations in Europe has gradually established its role as an important connecting hub for the Vietnamese community in European countries. (Source: Union of Vietnamese Associations in Europe) |
From the homeland's side, the Party and State always pay special attention and affection to overseas compatriots, as evidenced by increasingly practical connection mechanisms, creating conditions for overseas Vietnamese to contribute ideas, share experiences, invest, cooperate in science and technology, education, and innovation. Every overseas Vietnamese can contribute in their own way, whether through an initiative, a cooperative project, teaching Vietnamese to their children, or simply spreading the good values of the nation.
I always believe that the homeland is not only where we are born but also where memories, roots, and values that make up each person's identity are preserved. Geographical distance may be far, but the emotion and responsibility towards the homeland are always present in the awareness and hearts of every Vietnamese.
I hope that from this special milestone, the spirit of great unity will continue to spread even more strongly within the Vietnamese community in Czech and across Europe, so that we not only take pride in what previous generations have achieved but also work together to create new achievements, contributing to the local society and the development of Vietnam.
Unity for strength, integration for development, preserving roots to never lose oneself – that is also the message I want to convey to Vietnamese compatriots across Europe.
(Source: Vietnamese Embassy in Czech)
