Vietnamese Language Oratory Contest 2026: Inspiring a love for the Vietnamese language among young overseas Vietnamese
WVR - On July 12, in Saitama Prefecture (Japan), the finals of the Vietnamese Language Oratory Contest 2026 with the theme “Vietnamese in the Hearts of Those Far from Home” took place in both Japan and Vietnam.
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The event was held in person in Japan and connected online with Vietnam. Attendees included representatives from the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan; Dr. Nguyen Hong Son, Chairman of the Union of Vietnamese Associations in Japan; Nun Thich Tam Tri, Member of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, President of the Vietnamese Buddhist Association in Japan; Mr. Pham Dinh Thuong, Chairman of the Vietnamese Association in Saitama, Head of the Organizing Committee; Mr. Tran Thanh Long and Mr. Pham Van Thinh, Deputy Heads of the Organizing Committee.
Ambassador Nguyen Phu Binh, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chairman of the Association for Liaison with Overseas Vietnamese, member of the Advisory Board of the contest; Dr. Do Ngoc Van, Director of the Institute for Social Issues Research, Head of the Jury; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thien Nam, linguistics expert, member of the Jury; Ms. Le Thi Khanh Van, guest judge, along with representatives of supporting units, sponsors, and press agencies.
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| The Jury listens to the contestants' speeches (from left to right: Ms. Le Thi Khanh Van, Dr. Do Ngoc Van, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thien Nam). (Photo: Minh Hang) |
In his opening remarks, Mr. Pham Dinh Thuong, Chairman of the Vietnamese Association in Saitama Prefecture, Head of the Organizing Committee, emphasized that Vietnamese is not only a means of communication but also the root of national identity.
“For every Vietnamese, Vietnamese is the mother tongue, the teachings of grandparents and parents, the memories of childhood, the soul of the nation, and the invisible yet strong bond connecting every expatriate with the homeland,” he stated.
According to Mr. Pham Dinh Thuong, regardless of where one lives, studies, or works in the world, Vietnamese always serves as a bridge between the past, present, and future; between generations in each family and between the overseas Vietnamese community and the homeland.
He affirmed: “We always hold dear a very simple yet profound message: ‘Wherever there is Vietnamese, there is the homeland’.”
According to the Head of the Organizing Committee, the contest was organized out of a desire to preserve the national language, creating an environment for young overseas Vietnamese to practice their Vietnamese skills, and to delve deeper into the culture, history, and traditions of the nation.
“The most precious thing is that the young participants dared to raise their voices in Vietnamese to spread the love for their homeland and inspire the community. They are cultural ambassadors, young people contributing to the ongoing journey of preserving national identity through their love for their mother tongue,” Mr. Pham Dinh Thuong shared.
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| Mr. Pham Dinh Thuong conveys meaningful messages about the journey of preserving Vietnamese. (Source: Organizing Committee) |
A platform to spread the love for the mother tongue
With the theme “Preserving and Promoting Vietnamese – Pride in the Culture of 54 Vietnamese Ethnic Groups”, the contest conveyed the message “Wherever there is Vietnamese, there is the homeland”, emphasizing the role of language in preserving cultural identity and strengthening the bond between generations of overseas Vietnamese.
After more than three months of launching, the Organizing Committee received 54 entries from various localities across Japan.
Through two preliminary and semi-final rounds, the top 10 contestants advanced to the finals with speeches revolving around the love for Vietnamese, family traditions, homeland memories, cultural identity, and the responsibility of the younger generation in preserving the mother tongue.
Each contestant had 5 minutes to present and 4 minutes to answer rebuttal questions from the Jury. The performances were evaluated based on content, Vietnamese language proficiency, oratory skills, presentation style, and response ability.
Beyond being a competition of expression skills, the finals also offered a cultural exchange space with many art performances rich in Vietnamese identity, helping to bring Vietnamese closer to the overseas Vietnamese community and international friends.
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| Top 10 contestants competing in the contest finals. (Source: Organizing Committee) |
Vietnamese needs to be nurtured from each family
Sharing at the program, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thien Nam, a linguistics expert and member of the Jury, stated that maintaining Vietnamese for children born and raised abroad is always a challenging journey.
“The children should strive to speak Vietnamese with their parents in all situations. Even if they speak slowly, they should persist in responding in Vietnamese instead of using the local language, as they are already proficient in the host country's language,” he recommended.
From his own family's experience in Japan, he recounted that even his son once refused to participate in community gatherings because he felt “very tired” trying to use Vietnamese.
According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thien Nam, when children reach the age of 7-8, their Vietnamese often weakens if there is no regular environment for its use. Therefore, parents' persistence in creating a Vietnamese-speaking environment at home is crucial for preserving the mother tongue.
Each contestant is a “little ambassador” of Vietnamese culture. Evaluating the contest's quality, Dr. Do Ngoc Van, Director of the Institute for Social Issues Research, Head of the Jury, expressed his emotion over the contestants' heartfelt speeches.
“All 10 contestants were outstanding. The stories they told took me back to my childhood with beautiful memories of my homeland. The Jury faced great difficulty in choosing the winner,” he shared.
According to Dr. Do Ngoc Van, the greatest value of the contest lies not in the rankings but in awakening national pride within the Vietnamese community in Japan.
“Each contestant is a 'little ambassador' contributing to preserving the Vietnamese language and culture abroad. The contest certificates are not just achievements but should be cherished as beautiful memories in their hearts,” he emphasized.
Outstanding faces honoured
At the end of the finals, the Organizing Committee awarded prizes to contestants with outstanding performances in two categories. In Category A (for children/teenagers), the first prize went to Trinh Quynh Nhu (SBD 164); the second prize was awarded to Doan Van Khoi (SBD 133); the third prize went to Kim Tra My (SBD 117).
In Category B (for adolescents), Nguyen Pham Huyen (SBD 158) won the first prize; the second prize went to Nguyen Van Khang (SBD 145); the third prize was awarded to Bui Trung Dung (SBD 136).
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Additionally, Nguyen Van Khang was awarded the Impressive Oratory Prize by the Jury, while Nguyen Mei received the Encouragement Prize.
In his closing remarks, Mr. Tran Thanh Long, Deputy Head of the Organizing Committee, affirmed that the greatest value the contest brought was not in the awards.
“The most valuable thing the contest brought is not just the awards, but the spread of a belief. Vietnamese will endure as long as we cherish and preserve it in every family, every classroom, every community activity, and in the heart of every Vietnamese person.”
He emphasised that each speech is a story about homeland, family, and roots, contributing to connecting generations of Vietnamese in Japan and spreading the love for the mother tongue within the community.
“The contest concludes, but the journey of preserving Vietnamese will continue. We hope that after today, each person will continue to be a nucleus spreading the love for Vietnamese in their family, school, community, and daily life.”
According to the Organizing Committee, the high-achieving contestants will continue to participate in the “Returning to the Roots” program in Vietnam, with a series of activities exploring national history and culture, interacting with local students, and attending a recognition ceremony at the Kim Lien Special National Relic Site (Nghe An).
The activity is expected to contribute to nurturing the love for the homeland, fostering national pride, and continuing to spread the message “Wherever there is Vietnamese, there is the homeland” to the global Vietnamese community.
