Vietnam Summer Camp 2026: Concluding the heritage journey, keeping the flame of roots alive
WVR - On the evening of July 24, at 2/4 Square, Nha Trang Ward, Khanh Hoa Province, the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese, under Ministry of Foreign Affairs, organized the closing ceremony of the Vietnam Summer Camp 2026. This event marked the end of a nearly 1,500 km journey across Vietnam over 14 days, involving more than 100 young overseas Vietnamese from 32 countries and territories.
Latest
Attending the ceremony, from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, were Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang; Chairman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Nguyen Trung Kien, Head of the Organizing Committee of Vietnam Summer Camp 2026.
From the local authorities and units, there were Mr. Nguyen Thanh Ha, Vice Chairman of Khanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee; Colonel Pham Anh Tuan, Deputy Director of Khanh Hoa Provincial Police; Colonel Pham Duc Hung, Deputy Political Commissar of the Naval Academy; Ms. Huynh Thi Nhu Y, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Youth Union, President of the Vietnam Student Association of Khanh Hoa Province, along with representatives of the province's departments and agencies.
 |
| Delegates attending the closing ceremony of Vietnam Summer Camp 2026 take a commemorative photo. (Source: State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese) |
Held from July 12 to 25, Vietnam Summer Camp 2026, with the theme "Heritage Journey, Connecting to the Roots", took young overseas Vietnamese delegates through various localities across the three regions of North – Central – South, including: Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Nghe An, Quang Tri, Hue, Da Nang, Gia Lai, and Khanh Hoa.
The opening ceremony was held on the evening of July 13 in the capital city of Hanoi; the closing ceremony took place on the evening of July 24 in Khanh Hoa, marking the culmination of the entire journey.
Over 14 days through 8 provinces and cities, Vietnam Summer Camp 2026 offered participants a diverse range of activities. To explore history and origins, delegates visited President Ho Chi Minh's hometown in Kim Lien and paid tribute at "red addresses" such as Long Dai Ferry and Gac Ma Soldiers Memorial.
Regarding heritage and culture, the group visited the Imperial City of Hue, Hoi An Ancient Town, My Son Cham Ruins, along with museums and art spaces established by prominent overseas Vietnamese.
In terms of exploration and education, participants experienced the Quy Nhon Science Discovery Centre, interacted with the Naval Academy, and learned about maritime sovereignty. To enhance connection and improve Vietnamese language skills, campfires, cultural exchanges, and the Vietnamese Gala brought young people from various countries closer together.
Notably, the journey was marked by a series of charitable activities valued at over 300 million VND and the "Youth Bookshelf" project – the first to be named after Vietnam Summer Camp 2026.
 |
| Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang and Chairman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Nguyen Trung Kien at the ceremony. (Source: State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese) |
Heritage – Values nurtured by each generation
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang emphasized that the most meaningful aspect of Vietnam Summer Camp is not just bringing delegates back to their homeland, but making “the homeland truly a part of each person's heart”.
According to the Deputy Minister, “heritage is not only what is preserved from the past but also the values that each generation continues to nurture for the future”.
The Deputy Minister expressed her hope that the young delegates will continue this journey with love for their homeland, responsibility, and good deeds; wherever they study or work, they will proudly say, “I am Vietnamese”, and through their knowledge, kindness, and dedication, they will help spread the image of Vietnam and its people to international friends.
 |
| Vietnam Summer Camp 2026 offers meaningful exchanges for participants. (Source: State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese) |
Keeping the flame of previous generations of Overseas Vietnamese
A highlight throughout the journey was the opportunity for delegates to visit projects established by prominent overseas Vietnamese intellectuals and artists, successful figures who have returned to contribute to their homeland, such as the Le Ba Dang Memory Space (French overseas Vietnamese), the Huong River Ancient Ceramics Museum by Professor Dr. Thai Kim Lan (German overseas Vietnamese), and the Quy Nhon Science Discovery Centre associated with Professor Tran Thanh Van's dedication.
Each destination tells a vivid story of dedication, inspiring the younger generation of overseas Vietnamese to learn and continue the flame of national pride.
A representative of the camp participants shared that Vietnam Summer Camp 2026 is not just a trip but a journey to “rediscover one's roots and oneself”. Notably, the Vietnamese language is the thread that has brought young people from distant lands closer together, so that now each person will be a bridge bringing Vietnamese language, culture, and spirit to international friends.
 |
 |
 |
Over 300 million VND for charitable activities
Not only a journey to explore roots, Vietnam Summer Camp 2026 also left a profound humanitarian mark. Throughout the journey, delegates collectively raised over 300 million VND to donate gifts and scholarships to Vietnamese Heroic Mothers, families of war invalids and martyrs, war victims, and disadvantaged children in the localities visited – demonstrating the gratitude, sharing, and responsibility of the young generation towards the community.
In Hue, on July 18, at the Hue Traditional Craft Space, the delegation presented 30 gifts (each worth 1 million VND) to disabled individuals at three units: Tinh Truc Gia Disability Support Centre; Hue City Social Work and Child Protection Fund; and Hue City Blind Children's Vocational Education Centre.
In Quy Nhon (Gia Lai), during a martial arts exchange program, the delegation presented gifts to 10 affirmative families, war invalids and martyrs, and Vietnamese Heroic Mothers; donated 10 million VND to Quy Hoa National Leprosy-Dermatology Hospital and 10 million VND to support the Long Phuoc Pagoda martial arts club.
 |
| Concluding the journey, the young people gave each other tight hugs. (Source: State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese) |
 |
In Khanh Hoa, for the first time in the program's history, Vietnam Summer Camp delegates jointly built and inaugurated a "Youth Bookshelf" project named "Vietnam Summer Camp 2026", and awarded 12 scholarships to Naval Academy students with a total value of over 200 million VND. During the closing ceremony, the delegation also awarded 10 scholarships to students with special circumstances in Khanh Hoa.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Ha, Vice Chairman of Khanh Hoa Province, expressed confidence that the experiences during the journey, from paying tribute at the Gac Ma Soldiers Memorial to interacting with the Naval Academy, helped young overseas Vietnamese delegates gain a deeper understanding of Vietnam's seas and islands and the patriotic tradition of their ancestors, while also appreciating the beauty of Khanh Hoa's land and people.
Provincial leaders expressed their hope that the participants will return to the friendly and hospitable land of Tram Huong, affirming that the Vietnam Summer Camp program has long been a meaningful bridge connecting the hearts of young overseas Vietnamese with their homeland.
 |
| "Heritage Journey, Connecting to the Roots" left a positive impression on young overseas Vietnamese. (Source: State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese) |
Organized annually since 2004, Vietnam Summer Camp is an activity led by the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in coordination with various ministries, sectors, and localities.
Over more than two decades, the program has attracted thousands of young overseas Vietnamese to return to their homeland, contributing to the preservation of national cultural identity and nurturing the love and responsibility of the young overseas Vietnamese generation towards their homeland.
Concluding the 14 days of "Heritage Journey, Connecting to the Roots", what remains is not just the places visited, but the flame of love for the homeland ignited in the heart of each young participant.
(Source: State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese)
