Prague (VNA) – The first Vietnam Great National Solidarity Festival in Europe, scheduled to take place in Prague on October 31 and November 1, will strengthen solidarity among Vietnamese communities abroad, honour their contributions and promote friendship between Vietnam and European countries, including the Czech Republic, a Vietnamese diplomat has said.
In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency correspondents in Prague ahead of the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to the Czech Republic Duong Hoai Nam said the festival will convey a message of unity, attachment to the Fatherland and shared responsibility for the future.
He stressed that overseas Vietnamese (OVs) remain an inseparable part of the nation, with love for the homeland and efforts to preserve the Vietnamese language, cultural identity and family traditions serving as enduring bonds.
The event will also enable Vietnamese communities across Europe to share experiences, strengthen links among associations and mobilise collective efforts for national development.
Amid global uncertainties, solidarity is increasingly important to helping OVs support one another, integrate into host societies and promote cooperation between Vietnam and other countries, Nam stressed.
The diplomat said the Czech Republic is a fitting venue for the inaugural festival, given its large, dynamic and well-integrated Vietnamese community and its longstanding ties with Vietnam as a strategic partner. Over generations, Vietnamese people in the country have helped foster people-to-people exchanges, economic cooperation and a positive image of Vietnam.
He expressed his hope that the festival will become a catalyst for closer ties among Vietnamese generations in Europe, particularly young people, encouraging them to take pride in their origins, proactively preserve cultural values and practically contribute to both Vietnam and their host societies.
Assessing the Confederation of Vietnamese Associations in Europe (CVAE) over the past decade, Nam said it has become an important platform for connecting Vietnamese communities, coordinating activities and promoting the preservation of the Vietnamese language, cultural identity and traditions. Its homeland-oriented initiatives, support for people in Vietnam and engagement with communities in host societies also reflect OVs’attachment to their homeland and sense of responsibility.
He stressed that the confederation’s role is growing as Vietnamese communities in Europe become more diverse in age, professions, living conditions and levels of integration.
To strengthen community ties, the ambassador called for enhancing solidarity while respecting differences and ensuring harmonious interests, boosting more dialogue, coordination and experience sharing among associations, and promoting broader participation by respected community members and other individuals.
Engaging young people should also be a priority, he said, noting that Vietnamese people born and raised in the Czech Republic and elsewhere in Europe possess advantages in language skills, knowledge, technology and international connectivity. Associations should create more opportunities for them to participate in community activities, assume leadership roles and organise cultural, educational, charitable and youth exchange programmes.
Practical initiatives, including Vietnamese language classes, summer camps, visits to the roots and exchanges with young people in the homeland, could help young OVs deepen their understanding of the country's history, culture and people, Nam said, adding that cooperation in education, science, technology, entrepreneurship and innovation should also be expanded to enable OV youth to contribute their expertise.
Closer coordination among Vietnamese associations, representative agencies and organisations across Europe is also needed, he said.
The diplomat noted that while previous generations have built communities through hard work, perseverance and mutual support, younger generations could carry these values forward through knowledge, creativity and international integration. Connecting the experience of previous generations with the aspirations of younger ones is therefore essential to sustaining national solidarity.
Describing the homeland as a repository of memories, roots and values that shape identity, Nam said geographical distance could not diminish Vietnamese people's affection for or sense of responsibility towards the Fatherland.
He expressed his hope that the festival will further strengthen solidarity among Vietnamese communities in the Czech Republic and across Europe, inspiring them to build on previous generations' achievements and contribute to the development of both Vietnam and their host societies./.
