After a tour of 12 cities and provinces throughout the country, 150 young overseas Vietnamese from 30 nations and territories around the globe gathered at the Tan Trao historical site on August 1 to celebrate the end of their 2010 Vietnam Summer Camp.

The camp was very significant, stated Nguyen Thanh Son, Deputy Foreign Minister and Chairman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese (SCOV).

During their three week tour, the young expatriates saw for themselves the achievements that Vietnam has made during the past 20 years of the renovation process. They also now better understand the enormous sacrifices their predecessors made for national independence and freedom, said Son.

He added that he hoped the campers, on returning home, will take back with them fond memories of their motherland, Vietnam .

Le Huong Thao, from Bulgaria , said she felt very lucky to be chosen for the camp, as she has met and made a lot of friends from 30 countries as well as Vietnam .

The camp made me feel more attached to my homeland and more proud of being Vietnamese, she said.

During the closing ceremony, the young overseas Vietnamese and young people from Tuyen Quang sang and danced together and played various folk games.

The SCOV used the occasion to present gifts of 10 million VND (around 500 USD) to the Tuyen Quang Study Promotion Fund and 20 million VND to the province’s fund for Agent Orange/dioxin victims.

The campers also collected 20 million VND for the Tuyen Quang provincial Gratitude Fund and the Bulgarian Vietnamese youngsters donated 1,000 USD to the province’s fund to help children with heart disease.

Earlier the youngsters had visited the Tan Trao Banyan Tree, the Tan Trao museum where many of Uncle Ho’s belongings are on display and the tent at Na Lua where Uncle Ho lived and worked during the war of national resistance against the French.

Also on August 1, the delegation visited the Hung King’s ancestral lands and burnt incense at the Hung temple.

The 2010 Vietnam Summer Camp programme is organised by the SCOV for young Vietnamese who have recorded excellent results in their studies and other activities in Vietnamese communities around the world./.