According to the Vietnam News Agency correspondent in the UK, the Mid-Autumn Festival on September 22nd, held within the framework of the Winter and Southeast Asia (ESEA) Month initiated by Lewisham County to honor the contributions of the ESEA community in the UK, attracted a large number of Vietnamese expatriates and local residents.
Organized by the Vietnamese Family Foundation (VFP) since 2004 in London, the Mid-Autumn Festival is part of "The Moon Project," which aims to preserve traditional Vietnamese culture and foster connections between the Vietnamese community and local people.
The festival took place in Deptford, one of the areas with the largest Vietnamese expatriate population in London. The event included a variety of activities such as mooncake making, mask painting, handicrafts, chess competitions, horse racing, tug-of-war, bamboo pole dancing, lion dance, and musical performances celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival. It received enthusiastic participation from children born in the UK, many of whom came from Vietnamese-British families.
Cuisine is another attractive feature of the festival, where overseas Vietnamese and locals can enjoy a wide variety of Vietnamese food, from baked goods and sticky rice cakes to various types of sweet soups, jams, vermicelli with grilled pork, banh mi, and spring rolls…
At the festival, VFP also called on overseas Vietnamese to support those affected by Typhoon Yagi through the Vietnamese Embassy in the UK.
Attending the event, Counselor and Deputy Ambassador of Vietnam to the UK, To Minh Thu, affirmed that the event was not only an opportunity for the community to have fun and enjoy delicious Vietnamese food, but also a chance to remember the traditional values, love, and solidarity of those living abroad.
The Deputy Ambassador highly appreciated the efforts of VFP and its sponsors in maintaining this festival annually, and affirmed that the Embassy is always ready to support VFP and the community in preserving and spreading Vietnamese cultural values in the host country.
Notably, this year's event was attended by Mr. Edison Huynh, the first Vietnamese-born councilor in the UK, responsible for culture and community in Lewisham, London.
Mr. Edison Huynh shared his childhood memories of the Mid-Autumn Festival, saying it was a thread connecting him to his roots. He expressed his delight at witnessing the growth of the Vietnamese community in the UK, with activities sharing traditional cultural values at events like the Mid-Autumn Festival. He noted that these activities contribute to attracting British attention to Vietnam and enhancing local understanding of the significant contributions of the Vietnamese community to the UK, as well as many other countries around the world .
As the first Vietnamese-born councilor in the UK elected two years ago, he is delighted that Vietnam has representation in local politics and will do his utmost to ensure that the contributions of the Vietnamese community are recognized.
Ms. Quynh Giao Nguyen, founder of VFP, emphasized that from a little-known event, through great efforts to encourage the participation of local artists and widely disseminate culture, the Mid-Autumn Festival has become the biggest event for the Vietnamese diaspora in the UK with thousands of attendees. It is a source of pride for the local Vietnamese community because it brings Vietnamese cultural values and experiences to the local people, contributing to enriching the local culture and enhancing the reputation and image of Vietnamese people in the UK.
According to her, the event also aims to create opportunities for generations of Vietnamese people born and raised in the UK to learn about their roots and the hardworking traditions of their nation, and to create beautiful childhood memories that reflect Vietnamese traditions.
Held in a joyful atmosphere, the festival provided an enjoyable playground for children and Vietnamese families in the UK and the local area, while also demonstrating the unity, solidarity, and ever-growing development of the Vietnamese community in the UK.
Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/tet-trung-thu-niem-tu-hao-cua-cong-dong-nguoi-viet-tai-anh-post978839.vnp
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