Hanoi (VNA) – A Vietnamese language gala was held in Hanoi on August 26 in response to the Day for Honouring Vietnamese Language in the Vietnamese community abroad, observed annually on September 8.
The event was jointly organised by the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Vietnam Television (VTV).
Addressing the event, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang stressed that there are things that accompany people throughout their lives, and for every Vietnamese person, one of them is the mother tongue. Vietnamese is the lullaby heard in childhood, the memory of village communal houses, riverside wharves and rural fields, and a repository of the nation’s history, culture and soul. Wherever they live and whatever path they choose, Vietnamese remains an invisible yet enduring bond connecting them with their roots.
This year’s theme, “Kites soaring high on the wings of the mother tongue”, conveys a distinctly Vietnamese image. A kite can soar high and fly far on the winds of aspiration and integration, but it can remain steady only when anchored by its string to its roots. For Vietnamese communities abroad, that string is the Vietnamese language – the language of family affection, identity and national pride.
On August 2, the Politburo issued Resolution No. 23-NQ/TW on overseas Vietnamese affairs, affirming that Vietnamese people abroad are an inseparable part of the Vietnamese community and an important strategic resource contributing to the country’s overall strength. They also serve as a bridge between Vietnam and the world and actively contribute to national construction, development and defence.
The resolution also stresses that Vietnamese is not merely a means of communications but a form of the country’s soft power. Every Vietnamese-language class abroad, every Vietnamese book preserved and every teacher who perseveres in passing the mother tongue on to younger generations helps nurture Vietnamese identity around the world.
Since 2023, the Gala Honouring Vietnamese Language has become a meaningful annual event, spreading love for the Vietnamese language among overseas Vietnamese communities and international friends.
The 2026 programme honoured eight Vietnamese Language Ambassadors Abroad – individuals who have devoted themselves to promoting Vietnamese through passion, creativity and sustained dedication. They include not only overseas Vietnamese but also foreigners who have developed a special affection for Vietnam and the Vietnamese language and made meaningful contributions to teaching and promoting it internationally.
Through artistic performances, reports and studio exchanges, the 2026 Gala featured stories of Vietnamese-language classes, teachers, families and young people who are working tirelessly to preserve the language in countries around the world.
A highlight was the presentation of the 2026 “Vietnamese Language Ambassador Abroad” titles to eight outstanding individuals. This year, the number of honourees was increased from six to eight to recognise more exemplary individuals and spread their inspiring stories more widely.
Speaking to the press, Shimizu Masaaki, a Vietnamese-language lecturer at Osaka University in Japan, expressed his honour and emotion at receiving the title. Having studied Vietnamese since 1985, he said he hopes to help promote mutual understanding between the Japanese and Vietnamese communities in Japan while strengthening coordination and cooperation between Japanese and Vietnamese Vietnamese-language teachers.
He pledged that he will work to significantly increase the number of Japanese learners of Vietnamese, while continuing to convey the beauty and richness of the Vietnamese language to Japanese people, inspire more young people to study Vietnamese and foster greater appreciation of Vietnam’s language and culture.
The 2026 Gala Honouring Vietnamese Language will be broadcast at 8pm on September 8 on VTV4 and the digital platforms of Vietnam Television and the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese./.
