The closing ceremony of the Day for Honouring Vietnamese Language in Vietnamese Communities Abroad was held in Ha Noi in 2025. The event connected 33 points of representative agencies and overseas Vietnamese communities in many countries and territories worldwide.
The event not only affirmed the position of the Vietnamese language in the lives of overseas Vietnamese but also spread the spirit of preserving and promoting national identity far from the Fatherland.
At the closing ceremony of the Day for Honouring Vietnamese Language in Vietnamese Communities Abroad, Deputy Foreign Minister Le Thi Thu Hang emphasised that the Vietnamese language is a strong thread that connects millions of Vietnamese hearts everywhere with each other and with Viet Nam.
In 2022, the Prime Minister approved the Project on the Day for Honouring Vietnamese Language in Vietnamese Communities Abroad for the 2023-2030 period. The project has contributed to arousing pride and love for the mother tongue and making the movement to learn Vietnamese a sustainable and widespread activity.
According to Chairman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Nguyen Trung Kien, the work of preserving and spreading the Vietnamese language in the overseas Vietnamese community has always received special attention from leaders of the Party and State. This is demonstrated through policies and strategies to support the overseas Vietnamese community in preserving its national identity and language; through visits, book donations, encouragement for communities as well as teacher training and application of technology in teaching...
Many localities in the country actively joined this effort. Along with that came the spread of Vietnamese language learning abroad. In some areas with a large Vietnamese population such as Taiwan (China) or Laos, Vietnamese is officially taught in the education system. Hundreds of Vietnamese language classes from Asia to Europe and the US have been maintained thanks to the dedication of overseas Vietnamese teachers, many of whom volunteer to teach for free, becoming a bridge to preserve the mother tongue for the younger generation.
Not only receiving support from within the country, the overseas Vietnamese community has also proactively created many effective ways. Classes that combine face-to-face and online learning, writing, singing, and acting competitions in Vietnamese, or cultural festivals with folk games and Vietnamese cuisine have created a close and attractive language practice environment for the second and third generations.
Do Bich Thao, a teacher at Lac Long Quan Vietnamese School (Poland), said: “We often organise book festivals, plays, volleyball, human chess, bamboo dancing, and clay figurine making… so that children can both learn Vietnamese and connect with their homeland’s culture.”
In Malaysia, Vietnamese classes have been opened at the Embassy since 2016, held weekly with the participation of children from Vietnamese-Malaysian families. Teachers combine language teaching with cultural activities, helping children become more interested.
Tran Nhat Hoang, Deputy Director of the Department of International Cooperation (the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) emphasised the role of culture, language and art in preserving national identity, homeland and origin. He proposed measures including organising periodic events to attract the attention and anticipation of the community, applying technology and digital transformation to create content that is not too costly but has wide reach, and building a network of ambassadors – leading nuclei in the community, especially young people.
The event also had the participation and sharing of overseas delegates from many countries, including the 2024 Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen The Duong from Australia; 2024 Vietnamese Ambassador Lanny Phetnion from Nguyen Du Bilingual School – Laos; Nguyen Duy Anh, President of the Vietnamese Association in Fukuoka, Japan, and Ngo Thi Bac, President of the Vietnamese Women’s Union in the southwest region of the Republic of Korea... The stories told show the deep attachment of overseas Vietnamese to their mother tongue, despite the geographical distance and cultural differences.
In addition to the positive results, the work of maintaining and promoting the Vietnamese language in the overseas Vietnamese community still faces many difficulties such as: limited funding, lack of teaching staff, and uneven distribution across localities.
Deputy Foreign Minister Le Thi Thu Hang affirmed that in the coming time, it is necessary to continue mobilising the strength of associations, schools, and Vietnamese cultural centres abroad; building a network of teachers and volunteers to teach Vietnamese; and strengthening communication via both official channels and social networks.
With the joint efforts of the State, the overseas Vietnamese community and social organisations, the Day for Honouring Vietnamese Language in Vietnamese Communities Abroad has gradually become a cross-border bridge, where Vietnamese is not only a means of communication but also a cultural symbol, a memory, and a source of sentiment for millions of Vietnamese around the world towards the Fatherland.
On this occasion, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese coordinated with the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (Viet Nam National University, Ha Noi) and the Viet Nam Education Publishing House to organise a training course for the overseas Vietnamese teachers of Vietnamese in 2025. The programme includes activities running from August 13-28 in Ha Noi and some neighbouring localities, with the participation of delegates, experts, and 80 overseas Vietnamese teachers from 15 countries and territories.
