Prague (VNA) - Vietnamese children living in the Czech Republic showcased their love for their mother tongue and homeland through poems, songs and paintings at the final round of the “Honouring the Vietnamese Language” contest held at Sapa Trade Centre in Prague on September 12.
Organised by the Education Committee of the Union of Vietnamese Associations in the Czech Republic, the contest aims to provide children with a space to use Vietnamese, develop their talents and learn more about the country’s culture and traditions.
The young contestants used different forms of expression, from reciting poems and singing to drawing pictures about Vietnam and its people.
For 12-year-old Pham Ngoc Han from Tachov, Vietnamese is spoken regularly at home while Czech is used at school. She chose to draw a portrait of President Ho Chi Minh and a map of Vietnam to express her affection for the late leader and her homeland.
Ten-year-old Than Ha Mi, also from Tachov, presented a painting titled “My Homeland Vietnam”. She said Vietnam is her mother’s homeland and a place she always remembers. Speaking Vietnamese at home helps her maintain a connection with the country while living and studying in the Czech Republic.
Many parents see the contest as a practical way to encourage their children to use Vietnamese and learn about their cultural roots. They said maintaining Vietnamese at home is especially important as their children grow up and study mainly in a Czech-speaking environment.
Other contestants recited poems about national pride and peace or performed Vietnamese songs, showing different ways of expressing their feelings for their homeland and family.
The final round also featured artistic performances, creating a lively atmosphere for the children, their parents and the wider Vietnamese community.
Beyond a children's cultural activity, the contest helps connect generations within Vietnamese families and strengthen young people's ties with their community and heritage. Through such activities, Vietnamese children abroad can gain confidence in using their mother tongue and develop a stronger understanding of Vietnamese culture and traditions./.
