Vietnamese Cultural House in the UK: Connecting overseas Vietnamese with their roots

“Saigon Lotus: Vietnamese-British Cultural House” is a unique blend of ancient British architecture and Vietnamese decorative style, creating a familiar feeling for all Vietnamese visitors.

**International tourists enjoy the restaurant's space imbued with Vietnamese culture. (Source: VNA)**

Located in a 117-year-old heritage building in Middleton, Manchester, which is listed as a national conservation building and designed by famous architect Edgar Wood, “Saigon Lotus: Vietnamese-British Cultural House” is a unique blend of ancient British architecture on the outside and Vietnamese cultural decoration on the inside, creating a sense of familiarity for all Vietnamese visitors.

Ms. Pham Thi Thanh Nhung, owner and founder of Saigon Lotus, said that the center was officially launched in October 2024, exactly 10 years after the first branch of Saigon Lotus was established in Ancoats, Manchester (2014), with a new mission and vision: to become a Vietnamese-British cultural home in Manchester, a place to connect the overseas Vietnamese community with its national roots, while promoting Vietnamese culture to international friends.

From a purely Vietnamese restaurant transformed into a community cultural center with a simple design, but imbued with traditional Vietnamese culture with hand-painted landscape paintings of Hoi An ancient town, Hanoi old town, Ben Thanh market, Trang Tien bridge in Hue on Vietnamese conical hats, Hoi An lanterns and bamboo and rattan decorations on the wall made of rattan in the shape of a map of Vietnam, a check-in corner of Hoi An ancient town, and a set of wooden tables and chairs carved with traditional Vietnamese patterns, Saigon Lotus creates a meaningful cultural space, not only a gathering place for the Vietnamese community in Manchester but also attracts the deep interest of friends in the UK and international visitors to Manchester city.

The idea of establishing Saigon Lotus was formed after many years of studying and working in England with a deep love for her homeland, her culture and the desire to preserve and pass on to the next generation in the new land.

As a “global citizen,” representing Vietnamese youth at the Global Youth Leadership Summit organized by the United Nations in October 2006 in New York (USA), honored with the mission of “Spokesperson for Sustainable Development Goals” and having studied, lived and worked in the UK for more than 2 decades, Ms. Nhung clearly understands the meaning and necessity of connecting generations with the Vietnamese national roots through culture, tradition and family.

This is also a tribute to her best friend, Thuong Nguyen Sobey, who has been with her on her journey for the community since the very beginning. Thuong Nguyen Sobey, founder of the Vietnam Breast Cancer Network, passed away in 2015 due to breast cancer.

A recent highlight was the “Open Mic Charity Event,” a fundraising concert for Vietnamese cancer patients, which attracted more than 30 international guests, including Sir Alan Godsob, former Mayor of Rochdale, and six representatives from British political parties. The presence of these political figures is a testament to the strong recognition and support from the local government for Saigon Lotus’s community contributions.

In addition, Saigon Lotus also introduces the rich, sophisticated and unique cuisine of Vietnam through traditional dishes and famous street food served at community events such as the Mid-Autumn Festival on October 4.

The center's traditional lantern making workshops, spring roll wrapping competitions, and banh chung (square sticky rice cake) wrapping competitions also contribute to spreading the image and traditional cultural values of Vietnam to international friends.

According to Ms. Nhung, to bring Vietnamese handicrafts to Manchester, 10 years ago, she traveled thousands of kilometers from Vietnam to the bumpy village roads in the North of Hanoi , where master artisans still preserve traditional crafts.

Here, she met a talented artisan over 90 years old, who has been honored nationally and internationally for his exquisite craftsmanship with unique bamboo and rattan products.

With his talented hands, he meticulously created bamboo baskets, rattan boxes and hand-woven rattan and bamboo products.

After 10 years of careful preservation and conservation, on April 3, 2025, the meaningful cultural products of talented old Vietnamese artisans were officially and solemnly displayed at Saigon Lotus.

In the moment of handing over the works, the artisan with bright eyes and a kind smile shared his wish: “I hope these handicrafts will continue to connect young generations and international friends with the beauty and pride of Vietnamese heritage, even after I am gone.”

That dream has come true today at Saigon Lotus, where handmade products are not only the pride of Vietnamese people but also appreciated and honored by international friends.

In addition to the mission of spreading culture, at Saigon Lotus, Ms. Nhung also focuses on training the young generation with life skills, growth mindset, emotional intelligence and speaking ability. She shared: "I want to help them believe in themselves, become confident and compassionate global citizens."

The “Reading With Me” initiative, a movement co-founded by Ms. Nhung and her colleagues and sponsored by Saigon Lotus, encourages children to develop the habit of reading from an early age to develop critical thinking, empathy and outstanding language skills. At the same time, children learn a growth mindset to help them become more resilient when facing invisible pressures from the digital world.

Activities such as the international English speech contest, debate, young talent awards and honoring role models of kindness in the community of Saigon Lotus have helped hundreds of children and young people from Vietnam, UK, Europe and the US develop a mindset of kindness, living with gratitude, confidence, courage and developing leadership skills.

Saigon Lotus is not only a place to preserve heritage but also a center to nurture and train the young generation.

The center is proud to offer scholarships and paid internship opportunities to young people in Middleton and Manchester in the fields of customer communication, bartending skills and Vietnamese cooking training, along with life skills and leadership courses to help children live healthier and happier every day right at Saigon Lotus, helping them develop life skills, creative thinking and adaptability.

Regular volunteer projects not only create an atmosphere filled with kindness and community spirit, but also provide valuable lessons for the participants themselves.

“Saigon Lotus is a home of gratitude, generosity and love,” said Ms. Nhung. “Every event and every project is an opportunity for us to connect, share and support each other. That is the heartbeat of Saigon Lotus, the spirit that I cherish the most.”

A musical performance at the center attracted enthusiastic response from visitors. (Source: VNA)

Saigon Lotus is not only a Vietnamese restaurant, but also a common home, a vibrant Vietnamese-UK cultural and artistic center, where the spirit and beauty of Vietnamese culture, hospitality and community spirit are strongly spread.

From authentic Vietnamese dishes, traditional handicrafts, to volunteer and educational projects, Saigon Lotus has turned the old artisan's dream and Nhung's own dream into reality: a space where Vietnamese culture is honored, connecting generations and touching the hearts of international friends.

From Manchester, Saigon Lotus lights up the Vietnamese cultural lamp, so that every child far away from home can see the image of their homeland when entering, and international friends can leave with a bit of Vietnamese soul in their hearts.

“Saigon Lotus: Vietnamese-British Cultural House” is continuing the story of national pride, gratitude and the mission of nurturing future generations. With the support of the community, the center will continue its mission of spreading and bringing the beauty of Vietnam closer to the world./.

Source: https://baolangson.vn/ngoi-nha-van-hoa-viet-tai-vuong-quoc-anh-ket-noi-kieu-bao-voi-coi-nguon-5061334.html