Spreading the values ​​of the Ao Dai (Vietnamese traditional dress).

On March 18th, at the Ao Dai Museum, the Department of Tourism and the Ho Chi Minh City Women's Union organized a seminar titled "Vietnamese Ao Dai - Vietnamese National Heritage, International Integration".

Introducing the ao dai (traditional Vietnamese dress) collections at the seminar. (Photo: Department of Tourism ).

This activity is part of the 12th Ho Chi Minh City Ao Dai Festival currently taking place in the city.

Within the flow of Vietnamese culture, there are images that have become familiar and beloved, closely associated with the nation's identity. Among them, the ao dai, with its elegant and refined beauty, has long been present as a special hallmark of Vietnamese culture, cherished and preserved, becoming a cultural bridge that helps international friends better understand the country and people of Vietnam.

To begin the seminar, delegates and guests were treated to a presentation by students from the Ho Chi Minh City University of Culture on the collection "History of the Vietnamese Ao Dai." Through this collection, delegates gained a deeper understanding of the formation and development of the Ao Dai—a long journey to becoming the national cultural symbol it is today.

Delegates at the seminar. (Photo: Department of Tourism).

Speaking at the seminar, Ms. Trinh Thi Thanh, Permanent Vice President of the Women's Union of Ho Chi Minh City, said: "Today's seminar is not just an exchange about a traditional garment, but a sharing of how a national heritage can thrive in the era of integration. We believe that when the ao dai is worn with pride and presented with respect, its value will transcend borders, becoming a cultural bridge between Vietnam and international friends."

The seminar served as a unique cultural exchange space, affirming the position of the ao dai not only as a traditional garment but also as a vibrant symbol of heritage, a "messenger" connecting Vietnamese culture with international friends, weaving new vitality amidst the flow of integration. The program focused on discussing the enduring vitality of the ao dai in modern society and its role in people-to-people diplomacy.

Delegates exchange views at the seminar. (Photo: Department of Tourism).

Designer Trung Dinh said that he has worked with international models and foreign students many times and has felt their enthusiasm for the Vietnamese ao dai. “We believe that culture only truly comes alive when it is embraced and spread by the younger generation. International students are very special cultural ambassadors of Vietnam,” designer Trung Dinh said.

The ao dai is not only a traditional garment but also a living cultural heritage of the Vietnamese people. In the era of international integration, the ao dai is increasingly becoming a cultural bridge between Vietnam and international friends. The Organizing Committee hopes that through exchange activities like today's, the value of the ao dai will continue to spread even more widely.

Delegates participating in the workshop "Ao Dai and Flowers". (Photo: Department of Tourism).

The seminar also held profound humanitarian significance with the participation of Vietnamese families who are supporting Lao and Cambodian students under the "Vietnamese Families with Lao and Cambodian Students" project. This is proof of spreading love for the ao dai (Vietnamese traditional dress) and Vietnamese culture through the most ordinary bridges of friendship.

Beyond just an exchange and networking event, the seminar "Vietnamese Ao Dai - Vietnamese National Heritage, International Integration," combined with an experiential workshop themed "Ao Dai and Flowers," affirms the soft power of Vietnamese culture in subtly and persuasively conveying national identity to the world, as well as transforming cultural heritage into a resource for tourism development and creative economy .

Here, consuls general, foreign students, and guests will directly practice painting techniques on fabric and conical hats, thereby gaining a deeper understanding of the beauty of labor and art associated with the ao dai (Vietnamese traditional dress).

LINH BAO

Source: https://nhandan.vn/lan-toa-gia-tri-cua-chiec-ao-dai-post949242.html