Overcoming all barriers
In 2024, the “Vietnam Day Abroad” program marks an important turning point in the effort to promote the image, country, people and culture of Vietnam to international friends. The two events, held for the first time in Brazil and Saudi Arabia, attracted the attention and affection of many local people and the public.
In Rio de Janeiro, visitors eagerly wore traditional conical hats and explored many cultural quintessence of Vietnam in the light rain. The Vietnamese cultural space in Brazil recreated the lives of Vietnamese people through interactive activities such as trying on Nguyen Dynasty royal costumes, experiencing the art of making to he figurines, Dong Ho paintings and enjoying lion and dragon dances. "I am very happy to see both children and adults in your country eagerly making to he figurines. This proves that creativity and joy from art can overcome all cultural or language barriers," said to he figurine artisan Dang Dinh Thuong.
The highlight of the event in Brazil was the water pavilion stage and water puppetry performances, marking the first time water puppetry - a national intangible cultural heritage of Vietnam - appeared in the program "Vietnam Day Abroad". To do this, the organizers and artisans had to maximize their creativity, find ways to improve and transport bulky materials and props halfway around the world. Most international friends were excited and delighted when they first enjoyed the water puppetry performance performed by artisan Phan Thanh Liem. "Although I have performed in many places, I am still moved when I see the audience in Brazil attentively watching, remembering their homeland. There are Vietnamese families who bring their whole family to watch over and over again, as if rediscovering memories of their homeland through each play" - artist Phan Thanh Liem shared.
At the series of events "Vietnam Day Abroad" taking place in 2024 in Brazil and Saudi Arabia, the magical appeal of Vietnamese culture was shown through the eager eyes of children making to he figurines, through the long lines of people waiting to enjoy Vietnamese cuisine or through the bright smiles of visitors making lacquer jewelry by hand. "After the event in Saudi Arabia, when visitors said "shukran" - a sincere thank you in Arabic, I understood that Vietnam had truly brought them impressive, warm and unforgettable experiences" - Mr. Hoang Huu Anh, Deputy Director of the Department of Cultural Diplomacy and UNESCO, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, shared.
Add fuel to the fire
In early June 2024, at the 10th anniversary celebration of the Bac Ninh Association in the Czech Republic, famous, smooth and soulful Quan Ho melodies such as: "Moi Trau", "Tuong Phung - Tuong Ngo", "Nguoi Oi Den Hen Lai Ve", "Gia Ban"... resounded in Prague.
Previously, in the colorful "Bac Ninh - Kinh Bac Cultural Night" held in Paris, France to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Bac Ninh Quan Ho folk songs being recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity (2009 - 2024), in addition to immersing themselves in Quan Ho folk songs, guests also directly listened to an introduction and experienced the art of making Dong Ho folk paintings.
One of the guests who got to experience firsthand how Dong Ho paintings are made, Mr. Kano Takehiro - Head of the Permanent Mission of Japan - said: “This is a special opportunity for me to learn and try things like this, to see how skills are passed down through generations as well as to try making a painting myself... The skills shown in the video that we watch here are really interesting and unique. I think it is a true cultural heritage."
Every Vietnamese person, whether at home or abroad, contributes to the flame to forever light up Vietnamese cultural values everywhere. Ms. Nguyen Thi Viet Ha - Executive Director of the Vietnam - Australia Cultural Exchange Organization (VACEO) in Australia - affirmed that culture is a sharp tool in Vietnam's strategy and relations with other countries. When Vietnamese culture touches the hearts of international friends, she believes that the Vietnamese people will be able to elevate their position, thereby contributing to promoting better relations. Among the many programs organized by VACEO, the two programs that have created a big buzz in the Vietnamese community and many other communities in the "Kangaroo country" are "Vietsoul 1" and "Vietsoul 2" (tentatively translated: Vietnamese Soul 1 and Vietnamese Soul 2), in which there is the participation of Australian artists using Australian traditional musical instruments combined with Vietnamese traditional musical instruments such as: T'rung, Monochord, and Vietnamese Zither.
Enhancing Vietnam's value globally
In November 2024, the program "Vietnam Day Abroad" came to Latin America for the first time, leaving impressive images of Brazilian children enjoying discovering the unique art of water puppetry of Vietnam right in the "land of Samba". People of the Gulf country of Saudi Arabia also experienced for the first time a tropical cultural space right in the middle of the desert. Clumsy children molding clay figurines for the first time, excitedly watching Vietnamese artisans create the camel shape typical of the Middle Eastern desert. These are perhaps the most vivid demonstrations of the significance of cultural diplomacy, both helping to promote the beauty of Vietnamese culture and people to the world, and absorbing the quintessence and values of world culture.
International experts highly appreciate the proud achievements of Vietnam's cultural diplomacy. Mr. Lang Duc Quyen - a Chinese researcher on Vietnamese issues - affirmed that 2024 is "a bumper year" for Vietnam's cultural diplomacy. He believes that in 2025, Vietnam's cultural diplomacy as well as other fields will achieve greater achievements.
Ambassador Nguyen Thi Van Anh - Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - shared: "I believe that 2025 will continue to be a year of continued success in implementing cultural diplomacy, together with political diplomacy and economic diplomacy, contributing to bringing Vietnam into a new era, an era of national growth."
(Posted on the special edition of Labor Weekend Spring At Ty)
