Vietnamese community recognized as ethnic minority in Slovakia

On August 25, 2023, in the capital Bratislava, the Vietnamese Embassy in Slovakia solemnly held a ceremony to congratulate the Vietnamese community in Slovakia on being recognized as the 14th ethnic minority of the Slovak Republic.

Attending the Congratulatory Ceremony, on the Slovak side, were Mr. Juraj Droba, President of the Bratislava Region, Mr. Martin Klus, Member of Parliament and officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovakia. On the Vietnamese side, there were Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chairwoman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Le Thi Thu Hang, Vietnamese Ambassador to Slovakia Nguyen Tuan and a large number of overseas Vietnamese in Slovakia.

Speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador Nguyen Tuan emphasized that the recognition of the Vietnamese community as an ethnic minority by the Slovakian Government is a testament to the positive role of the Vietnamese community in the development of Slovakia, thereby contributing more effectively to the good development of the Vietnam - Slovakia friendship.

Event - Vietnamese community recognized as ethnic minority in Slovakia — *The Congratulation Ceremony took place in a joyful, excited atmosphere, filled with pride and friendship between the people of the two countries. Photo: BNG*

Sharing the joy of the people on this important holiday, Deputy Foreign Minister Le Thi Thu Hang said that with intelligence and courage, hard work and the will to overcome difficulties, as well as harmonious behavior and good cultural traditions, the Vietnamese community abroad has gradually affirmed its position in the host society.

It is a process of constant effort, paid with sweat, tears, and hardships in the early days of starting a career, far from home and family, to now be considered a part of the big family of Slovakian peoples.

The Deputy Minister affirmed that the Party and State of Vietnam always pay deep attention to the Vietnamese community abroad, considering them "an inseparable part and an important resource of the Vietnamese ethnic community".

In that spirit, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese and the Vietnamese Embassy in Slovakia will continue to accompany and support our compatriots to continue promoting the tradition of mutual love and affection, obeying the law and actively integrating, contributing to the development of the locality, uniting the community to develop together, and looking towards the homeland.

On this occasion, the Deputy Minister thanked the Slovakian government for its attention and support and asked the government to continue to support and create more favorable conditions for the Vietnamese community to stabilize their lives and actively integrate into the local community, contributing to strengthening the traditional friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

Congratulating the Vietnamese community in Slovakia, President of Bratislava Region, Mr. Juraj Droba, highly appreciated the community's initiative and contributions; expressed his joy and readiness to support the community as a part of the Slovak nation.

On behalf of the community, the President of the Vietnamese Association in Slovakia, Mr. Vo Phuong, thanked Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang for attending and speaking at the Congratulation Ceremony, expressing the attention of the Party, State and Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Vietnamese community in Slovakia; thanked the Vietnamese Embassy in Slovakia, the government and people of Slovakia for accompanying and supporting the community; and pledged that in its new position, the community will continue to promote its role as a bridge between the two countries and peoples.

The Congratulation Ceremony took place in a joyful, exciting atmosphere, full of pride and friendship between the people of the two countries. The special cultural exchanges and traditional dishes of the two countries built cultural bridges, helping the people of the two countries to get closer together, and at the same time, it was a valuable opportunity for people to enhance their national pride and awareness of preserving and promoting the good cultural values of the Vietnamese people in the heart of the beautiful and friendly country of Slovakia.

On June 7, 2023, the Slovak Government decided to recognize Vietnamese Slovaks as the 14th ethnic minority in Slovakia. To date, the Vietnamese community in Slovakia is the second Vietnamese community in the world (after the Czech Republic) to be recognized as an ethnic minority in the host country. On this occasion, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son sent a letter of congratulations to the Vietnamese community in Slovakia.

In the letter, Minister Bui Thanh Son affirmed that this event is an important milestone, with multifaceted significance in the process of building and developing the Vietnamese community in Slovakia; affirming the role and position of Vietnamese Slovaks in particular and the Vietnamese community living in Slovakia in general in Slovak society.

This result is the crystallization of the community's continuous efforts in the process of development and integration into the host society; affirming the correct policies of our Party and State towards the Vietnamese community abroad; the valuable attention, support and assistance of the Government and People of Slovakia as well as the good development of the traditional friendship between Vietnam and Slovakia.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chairwoman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Le Thi Thu Hang also sent a Letter of Thanks to the Government Council on Human Rights, Ethnic Minorities and Gender Equality of the Government of Slovakia.

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