Language is the soul of a nation. The Vietnamese language carries within it the very spirit of Viet Nam. Through Vietnamese, all people—wherever they may live and whoever they may be—can understand the history, culture and identity of Viet Nam.

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Against the backdrop of the deep international integration, and in line with the core principles set out in the Politburo’s Resolution No. 80-NQ/TW on the development of Vietnamese culture, Viet Nam is well positioned to revitalise and expand the training of cultural professionals both at home and abroad. This, however, requires nurturing individuals with resilience, adaptability and a firm grounding in Vietnamese values and identity. As preserving and promoting the nation's cultural heritage becomes an increasingly important responsibility, teaching and disseminating the Vietnamese language serves not only to preserve and promote Vietnamese culture among overseas Vietnamese communities and local populations alike, but also to safeguard the nation's traditional values while reinforcing Viet Nam's identity and voice on the global cultural map.

Malaysia is a multilingual and multicultural country where English is widely used as the principal language. Children there typically study English, Mandarin and Malay simultaneously. In addition, children from Muslim families generally learn Arabic, while those of Chinese descent often study Cantonese, Hokkien or other heritage languages spoken by their parents and grandparents.

Therefore, Nguyen Thi Lien, one of five overseas Vietnamese honoured as Vietnamese Language Ambassadors in the 2023 competition organised by the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, recalled that until only a few years ago Vietnamese had little chance of finding a place in children's already crowded school timetables. In addition, many Vietnamese women married to local husbands lacked sufficient influence within their families to decide whether their children could learn Vietnamese. Even among other Vietnamese families, many parents did not consider Vietnamese language proficiency essential for their children, while bringing them to Vietnamese classes was often far from straightforward.

For Ms Lien, the greatest source of satisfaction is the remarkable transformation that has taken place within the Vietnamese community in Malaysia over the past decade. By 2026, Vietnamese language classes had been established in many locations, with both face-to-face and online formats available. Overseas Vietnamese parents have also become far more committed to ensuring that their children learn Vietnamese, viewing their ability to speak the language as a source of pride and the result of years of dedication and perseverance.

A particularly significant milestone came in 2022, when the Prime Minister approved the Project on the Day for honouring the Vietnamese language in overseas Vietnamese communities under Decision No. 930/QD-TTg, officially designating September 9 each year as the Day for honouring the Vietnamese language. The initiative has brought about a profound change in Vietnamese language education across overseas Vietnamese communities.

Like Nguyen Thi Lien and Lanny Phetnion, Dr. Nguyen The Duong (a Vietnamese expatriate in Australia) — the “Ambassador of the Vietnamese Language” in the 2024 search for Ambassadors of the Vietnamese Language in the Vietnamese community abroad — also shares a desire to help Vietnamese children in Australia preserve their mother tongue, thereby maintaining their connection to their roots.

Beyond simply teaching Vietnamese abroad, overseas Vietnamese and foreigners who love the Vietnamese language and culture also systematically promote and elevate the status of the Vietnamese language in their home countries.

In the US, thanks to sustained efforts by the Vietnamese community and support from the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the City and County of San Francisco Board of Supervisors officially recognised Vietnamese as one of the city's official languages in mid-2024. As a result, Vietnamese is now used in a range of public services, including interpretation, official notices and government websites. Beyond San Francisco, Vietnamese is widely available in public services such as healthcare, education and social services in many areas with large Vietnamese communities, including California, Houston, Orange County, Texas and Washington.

In recent years, Vietnamese has also been introduced into university curricula in the US. The language is currently taught at six of the eight Ivy League universities: Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania and Yale. At Harvard University, the Vietnamese language programme was established in 2024 under the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations.

Similarly, Italy has introduced Vietnamese studies at the Department of Asian and North African Studies of Ca' Foscari University of Venice. In the Republic of Korea, since 2013, the Ministry of Education has designated English as the first foreign language, while Vietnamese is one of nine recognised second foreign languages.

According to Professor Dr Ahn Kyong-Hwan, former Vice President for External Affairs at Nguyen Trai University, Vietnamese language education in the Republic of Korea began officially in 1967. Since 2012, Vietnamese has been included among the foreign-language subjects accepted in the country's university entrance examination, while Vietnamese language departments have also been established at specialised foreign language high schools.

In Australia, Vietnamese is now the country's third most widely spoken language after English. It is taught in a number of mainstream schools, while many community schools also offer Vietnamese language classes for children.

This reflects the growing international status of Vietnamese and the strong support it receives from the Australian Government, local communities and the public. Tran Hong Van, Vietnamese Language Ambassador 2023, said that for Vietnamese communities overseas, particularly in Australia, preserving the Vietnamese language and culture brings significant emotional, cultural, intellectual and economic benefits. She noted that for Australia, promoting, teaching and using the Vietnamese language and culture also helps strengthen the country’s multicultural and multilingual identity—one of Australia's defining characteristics, of which both the Government and its people are proud. Like other community languages, Vietnamese also fosters greater mutual understanding, social inclusion and harmonious development among Australia’s diverse ethnic communities.

Emphasising the view that "culture is the core foundation shaping a nation's identity and values", Vu Thi Bich Diep, President of the Vietnamese Students' Association in Italy, stated that culture is not only the crystallisation of traditions, customs, and practices, but also embodies the spirit, intellect, and resilience of generations of people. In Italy, cultural organisations and centres in Milan, Rome, and Turin have provided classes on the Vietnamese language, traditional arts, and the country's cultural history.

According to Vu Thi Bich Diep, young Vietnamese people and students living abroad always wish to help promote the image of Viet Nam and its people, preserving the nation's cultural identity, and supporting digital transformation, green transition, and innovation in Viet Nam. This is also a responsibility that every overseas Vietnamese should strive to fulfil for the common goal of national development. “We believe young people need to be even more aware of their responsibility in the country's development journey," she noted.

"We are fully aware that the younger generation is not only the future but also a core force in helping realise the country's development goals. As preserving and promoting national culture becomes an essential responsibility, these meaningful activities not only help preserve and promote Vietnamese culture among local communities, but also safeguard traditional values and reinforce the standing and voice of the Vietnamese nation on the global cultural map," the President of the Vietnamese Students' Association in Italy emphasised.

As a fluent Vietnamese speaker who has spent nearly 40 years associated with the country and people of Viet Nam, Professor Ahn Kyong-Hwan was honoured with the title of Honorary Citizen of Ha Noi in 2024. He has also translated a number of renowned Vietnamese literary works into Korean, including The Tale of Kieu by Nguyen Du and Prison Diary by President Ho Chi Minh.

"I can say that I fell in love with Viet Nam when I was still a secondary school student," Professor Ahn Kyong-Hwan remarked as he recalled his enduring connection with the Vietnamese language. "At that time, we learned about Viet Nam through several films and photographs shown at school. The most recognisable symbol of Viet Nam was the coconut tree. The country's coconut groves appeared in films and photographs laden with fruit, with fronds swaying in the breeze and bending over canals, creating a magical and shimmering beauty. It was my love for Viet Nam that inspired me to start learning Vietnamese in 1974," he recounted.

At that time, the Republic of Korea's economy was still encountering difficulties and information technology was not yet well developed. Learning Vietnamese as a pupil was thus highly challenging, as he had to search for and collect the few available Vietnamese language textbooks to study on his own.

Professor Ahn Kyong-Hwan recounted: "In 1989, when I first came to Viet Nam, I visited a second-hand bookshop in Da Kao Market in Ho Chi Minh City seeking books to help me learn Vietnamese. There, I bought President Ho Chi Minh's “Prison Diary” and Nguyen Du's “The Tale of Kieu”. I read both books over and over again to fully understand them, hoping that one day I could translate them into Korean. When I proposed the idea to a Korean publisher, however, they were reluctant to publish the translations because, at that time, Korean readers had little interest in Viet Nam or its people."

Driven by his passion for the Vietnamese language and these two literary masterpieces, Professor Ahn dedicated his time, resources, and personal savings to translating Prison Diary. He financed the publication of 1,000 copies of the Korean edition and donated them to friends as well as libraries at universities across the Republic of Korea (RoK). "I am very proud to have been the person who translated and published “Prison Diary”, enabling Korean readers to gain a deeper understanding of President Ho Chi Minh — a great leader, an outstanding cultural figure, and one of Viet Nam's most eminent statesmen," Professor Ahn remarked.

He added: "Since then, I have translated many other Vietnamese works into Korean, including “Unforgettable Years” by General Vo Nguyen Giap, “The Diary of Dang Thuy Tram”, and, most recently, collections of poems by Ho Chi Minh and Mai Van Phan, as well as the novel “Lord of the Land”. These books have been warmly received by Korean readers. I have also contributed to the writing and compilation of a number of academic publications and teaching materials for universities in the RoK."

"I consider myself fortunate. Thanks to the Vietnamese language, I have had the opportunity to live and work in Viet Nam for many years. I love Viet Nam — the homeland of President Ho Chi Minh and many distinguished cultural figures of the world, a country known for its peace, friendliness, and hospitality. To me, Viet Nam is like my second home," Professor Ahn expressed emotionally.