Keeping the Vietnamese spirit alive and burning from the heart of Europe.

From what is considered the heart of Europe, the Union of Vietnamese in Belgium (UGVB) has been operating and developing for over 11 years with the goal of building an increasingly strong Vietnamese community.

From fostering connections among overseas Vietnamese

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Long, Vice President of UGVB, stated that located in the heart of Europe, UGVB enjoys many advantages in cultural exchange, sharing experiences in implementation and organization, and promoting the Vietnamese spirit. Within this space, Vietnamese culture, and especially the Vietnamese language, is at the center, where it intersects and harmonizes with activities promoting trade, exchanging science and technology and innovation, the Vietnam-EU political agenda, and people-to-people diplomacy.

"We always prioritize this task, aiming to create activities rich in Vietnamese identity and patriotism, such as organizing Lunar New Year celebrations, Mid-Autumn Festival, family day events, making banh chung (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes), ao dai (traditional Vietnamese dress) shows, lion dances, and, of course, bringing the Vietnamese language to children in the community, to libraries, and to international cultural spaces...", Mr. Long shared with Thanh Nien newspaper . This is one of the bridges strengthening people-to-people diplomacy between Vietnam and Belgium, and Vietnam and the EU.

Mr. Pham Huy Hoang speaks at the 2024 Innovation Day in Belgium.

Among the outstanding activities of the association over the past 11 years, Mr. Long stated that organizing the Lunar New Year celebration is the most humane for Vietnamese expatriates in Belgium and neighboring countries. With strong support from the community, local authorities, the Vietnamese Embassy in Belgium, and the Committee for Overseas Vietnamese, the association has invited many artists to perform for the expatriate community. This is also an opportunity for the community to come together to celebrate and enjoy traditional national dishes.

A valuable resource for the nation.

Not only are Vietnamese people abroad keeping the flame alive, but they are also striving to contribute to their homeland. One example is the activities of the Vietnam Innovation Network in Europe (VINEU). In an interview with Thanh Nien newspaper, VINEU Chairman Pham Huy Hoang stated that VINEU has received significant support and attention from the National Innovation Center (NIC), the Ministry of Planning and Investment, domestic agencies, and Vietnamese representative offices abroad.

"The biggest achievement so far is that we have a formal organization, legally registered in Europe, that brings together a team of intellectual experts who are always ready to contribute to the country when needed and when the opportunity arises," Mr. Hoang said. Some notable activities that VINEU has implemented recently include sending experts to participate in seminars and advising domestic agencies on issues related to innovation. VINEU has also organized many specialized seminars to introduce new technologies with high applicability in Vietnam. In June 2024, VINEU successfully hosted the Vietnam Innovation Day in Europe, with the participation of many domestic and foreign companies and businesses. To support Vietnamese start-ups in developing and expanding their market in Europe, VINEU, in collaboration with its Belgian partner (hub.brussels), also sent a delegation of representatives from 10 start-ups selected by NIC to Brussels to study and network with businesses and organizations in Belgium and Europe.

Family Day and Mid-Autumn Festival 2024 organized by UGVB

Regarding future plans, VINEU stated that it will focus on building and expanding its network. VINEU will establish expert groups and participate in practical projects in Vietnam to create opportunities for members to contribute and to develop VINEU in a sustainable financial and organizational direction.

Spreading the Vietnamese ID of the contemporary generation.

Quynh Iris Nguyen-de Prelle is an independent artist and poet of Vietnamese origin, with five volumes of Vietnamese poetry and one novel of fiction. Her works are featured in university libraries in the US, Europe, and Australia, including Harvard and the French National Library. She is also the founder of IVB - the Vietnam-Pacific Intercultural Center in Brussels.

"IVB is my dream of a large center or home for Vietnam in Belgium where people can meet and share stories of their generation, stories about Vietnamese culture and cultural ID, which I call the Vietnamese Identity Card. IVB is also a positive voice of the Vietnamese community in Brussels and Belgium in general in the cultural diversity of the heart of Europe," Ms. Quynh Iris Nguyen shared with Thanh Nien newspaper. Besides IVB, she also co-founded the Vietnamese Book Shelf in Brussels with Ms. Kieu Bich Huong, who is also a co-founder of VBAB - the Vietnamese Business Association in Belgium, which launched in November 2024. The Vietnamese Ambassador to Belgium, Head of the Vietnamese Delegation to the EU, Nguyen Van Thao, expressed strong support for VBAB's activities.

Since its establishment in April 2024, IVB has participated in the traditional costume event at the Royal Museum in Belvue. For the first time, Vietnam appeared alongside more than 14 other communities in Brussels, showcasing a wide variety of costumes such as Quan Ho folk dresses, Ba Ba blouses, Ao Dai (traditional Vietnamese dress), and costumes from the northern mountainous regions like the Hmong, Tay, and Nung. Following this, the Vietnamese booth made a strong impression at the Hakuna Matata Festival, presenting a glimpse of Vietnam with a traditional village market and a traditional meal to Belgians and international friends. Vietnamese books were displayed there, highlighting the unique nature of the language and avoiding confusion with other languages. Furthermore, IVB collaborated with UGVB to launch the Vietnamese Ao Dai Heritage Club, featuring numerous costumes donated by artisans and friends from Vietnam for preservation and promotion in Europe.

"Every time we appear, IVB always wants to send messages to our friends, such as recognizing Vietnamese ID through every detail, every outfit and dish, or the working methods of our generation today – a generation with professional quality and standards, a serious work ethic, and a fresh, dynamic, and positive image of Vietnam," she emphasized.

To help the younger generation of Vietnamese Americans remember their homeland.

In a different approach, Ms. Ngo Do Thu Huong, whose English name is Helen (living in Belgium), chose to create and develop a podcast channel called Kenh Viet Happiness Station starting in May 2021. Ms. Helen stated that Kenh Viet was created to share the experiences of Vietnamese people living abroad, spreading positivity, resilience, and the beauty of the human spirit. Currently, the channel features 30 voices from all three regions of Vietnam, residing in 14 countries. It is gradually becoming a highly anticipated platform, frequently mentioned when discussing competitions or opportunities for Vietnamese children and those of Vietnamese origin living abroad to practice their Vietnamese language skills, strengthen family and community connections, and foster a sense of belonging to their homeland.

Traditional Vietnamese attire at an event at the Royal Museum in Belvue.

In 2023, Viet Channel received the title of "Vietnamese Ambassador Abroad" in a competition organized by the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) in collaboration with several units under the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Vietnam Television, and the Association for Liaison with Overseas Vietnamese.

"We started dreaming of ways to preserve Vietnamese culture and language abroad. I moved to Europe when I was only 17, and I've lived in Europe longer than I've lived in Vietnam. I'm also the mother of a son of mixed heritage, so I understand clearly that maintaining one's mother tongue in a foreign land is not easy. Besides love, it also requires method and a supportive community environment… To create opportunities for everyone, especially young Vietnamese people abroad, to speak and write Vietnamese, we regularly organize competitions on themes such as food, travel, cultural experiences, and connecting with family and homeland…," Helen shared.

Helen's project has organized many community events, such as online competitions. In addition, Kênh Việt has organized or co-organized offline events such as the pilot "Spring Vietnamese Language Camp" in Belgium; and implemented a reading culture project by building two "Vietnamese Bookcases in Vietnamese Restaurants" where the Vietnamese diaspora can access and borrow over 500 Vietnamese books for various ages and topics, completely free of charge. Recalling a particularly moving experience, Helen recounted that in the "Travel with Your Child 2022" competition, many entries told touching stories of young Vietnamese people from various continents returning home to reunite with their grandparents, siblings, and relatives after years of separation due to the pandemic. The first prize went to 7-year-old Tijn Konings, born in the Netherlands. Not only did she demonstrate fluent Vietnamese, but she also impressed with her insightful and humorous expression of emotions.

Inspired by a precious gift from Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

In December 2022, during his visit to Europe, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh presented a very special gift to the Vietnamese community in Belgium. The book series "Hello Vietnamese" was a precious and meaningful gift, contributing to the spread of speaking and learning the mother tongue in a foreign environment. This gift inspired the "Vietnamese Books in Belgian Libraries" project. Thanks to the determination and valuable advice of dedicated members committed to preserving the Vietnamese language abroad, UGVB decided to bring the "Hello Vietnamese" book series, along with additional funds to purchase and solicit donations of Vietnamese books, to libraries in cities with large Vietnamese communities.

The "Vietnamese Books in Belgian Libraries" project has brought books to libraries in Brussels such as Muntpunt, the Ixelles district library, and the De Krook library in Gent. Other cities such as Liege, Antwerpen, Namur, Aalst, etc., are also targets of the project.

Ms. Nguyen Chung Thuy (Vice President and Head of the Culture and Social Affairs Committee of UGVB)

I aspire to play for the Vietnamese national team when I have the opportunity.

Responding to Thanh Nien 's question about the case Pham Anh Khoi (18 years old) is a talented young Vietnamese-born football player currently playing in Belgium. His father, Pham Huy Hoang, said: "He really wants to play for the Vietnamese national team when the opportunity and conditions are right. Recently, the Federation contacted the club to ask permission for him to return to play for the national U.19 team, but due to the schedule and pre-season preparations with the U.23 team, the club has not yet agreed. Later, when the Vietnamese national team's tournaments are held at a favorable time and the Federation still wants him to participate, the family and the club will certainly create conditions for him to return and play."

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/giu-va-tiep-lua-viet-tu-trai-tim-chau-au-185250106164206245.htm