Dakar (VNA) – Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) Tran Thanh Man and his spouse Nguyen Thi Thanh Nga joined President of the Senegalese NA El Malick Ndiaye in visiting the Vovinam martial arts club in Dakar on July 23 afternoon (local time) as part of the Vietnamese leader’s official visit to the African country.
Dr. Diomaye Dieng, President of Senegal’s Vovinam Federation, stressed that the traditional martial art training transforms practitioners into exemplary citizens who actively participate in national development, community service, and social contribution. Through Vovinam practice, he said, Senegalese trainees have helped promote the Vietnamese culture while strengthening the countries' friendship and spreading the values of peace and compassion.
Vovinam, also known as Viet Vo Dao, is the combination of physical combat techniques and spiritual development. It extends beyond self-defence training to encompass moral cultivation, character building, and community service commitment.
The martial art has gained popularity across Senegal, with some 3,000 practitioners, making the country the second-largest Vovinam community in Africa, trailing only Algeria. The West African nation established a Vovinam association under the World Vovinam Federation. Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye also practices Vovinam, Dieng noted.
On the occasion, NA Chairman Man presented a commemorative emblem of the Vietnamese NA building to Senegal’s Vovinam Federation./.
