The first Vietnamese Tet (Lunar New Year) celebration touched the emotions of the French Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City.

The French Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, Etienne Ranaivoson, visited and experienced the Vietnamese Tet Festival activities at the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Cultural Center. This was also his first time celebrating Tet in Vietnam.

The French Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City visited and experienced the Vietnamese Tet Festival at the Youth Cultural Center (Saigon Ward) on February 11th - Photo: THANH HIEP

Amidst the golden hues, red couplets, and vibrant spring music at the Vietnamese Tet Festival at the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Cultural Center (Saigon Ward) on the afternoon of February 11th, the image of the French Consul General strolling around in a traditional ao dai attracted the attention of many festival attendees.

Vietnamese Tet is filled with love.

French Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, Etienne Ranaivoson, listens to presentations about traditional Tet (Lunar New Year) products such as incense sticks and specialty fruits and vegetables - Photo: THANH HIEP

Speaking to Tuoi Tre Online , Mr. Etienne Ranaivoson said that wearing the ao dai for the first time gave him a special experience.

The French Consul General stated that the ao dai is an elegant garment that reflects the depth of Vietnam's history and culture. The ao dai he wore was inspired by the attire of ancient mandarins, making him feel honored to wear it.

Strolling through the stalls, stopping at calligraphy booths and spaces recreating Tet customs, the French Consul General shared that he was fascinated by how the Vietnamese preserve traditions in modern life.

According to Mr. Ranaivoson, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year shares many similarities with Christmas in France, both being occasions for family reunions, sharing, and exchanging love.

However, Tet has a stronger cultural character with traditional rituals, ethnic costumes, and activities that carry profound spiritual significance.

In particular, the art of calligraphy left a deep impression on the Consul General because, in addition to its visual beauty, each stroke of the brush conveyed aspirations for the new year, reflecting the Vietnamese tradition of studiousness and respect for knowledge.

The sight of families, especially young people, dressed in traditional attire and capturing moments together amidst the festive atmosphere also made him clearly feel the pride in the culture being passed down through generations.

Sharing further, Mr. Ranaivoson said he would try to learn Vietnamese so that next year's Vietnamese Tet (Lunar New Year) would be more meaningful to him.

The Year of the Horse reflects the positive development of Vietnam-France relations.

Mr. Etienne Ranaivoson poses for a photo next to the horse mascot statue for the Year of the Horse 2026, displayed at the Youth Cultural Center - Photo: THANH HIEP

In the spirit of early spring, Consul General Etienne Ranaivoson conveyed a message to Vietnamese youth about the spirit of the Year of the Horse.

He emphasized that France is always ready to support young Vietnamese people through scholarship programs, student exchanges, and joint training programs between universities in the two countries.

According to him, besides educational opportunities, many French and French-Vietnamese businesses in Vietnam are opening up attractive career paths in creative fields, healthcare , technology, logistics, etc.

Networking activities such as the Franco-Vietnamese Job Fair also help create a bridge for students and young workers to access an international environment.

The French Consul General stated that the spirit of the Year of the Horse also reflects the positive development in Vietnam-France relations as the two countries enter a new phase of their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Mr. Ranaivoson assessed that cooperation between the two countries is being strongly promoted in strategic areas such as transport infrastructure, high-speed rail, finance, energy, and green transition.

Besides economic cooperation , cultural and educational cooperation and people-to-people exchanges continue to play a fundamental role, contributing to the strong bond between the two countries.

The French Consul General sent his best wishes to the Vietnamese people for a peaceful, successful new year filled with new opportunities, reflecting the vibrant and hopeful spirit he felt during his first Tet celebration in Ho Chi Minh City.

The image shows the French Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City experiencing Vietnamese Tet culture for the first time.

The French Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City was impressed by the space filled with the red flag with a yellow star in the grounds of the Youth Cultural Center - Photo: THANH HIEP

The French Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City happily posed for photos with handcrafted Tet (Lunar New Year) products and portraits of President Ho Chi Minh created by young people, displayed at the Vietnamese Tet Festival - Photo: THANH HIEP

Mr. Ranaivoson enjoys traditional Vietnamese cakes, especially during Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year), such as mung bean cake, husband and wife cake, and toad cake... - Photo: THANH HIEP

Mr. Ranaivoson and staff from the French Consulate General listened to a presentation about typical projects in Ho Chi Minh City. In particular, they highlighted projects and spaces dedicated to students and young people in the city, such as the Student Cultural Center, the Youth Cultural Center, and the Ho Chi Minh City Children's Palace. - Photo: THANH HIEP

Mr. Ranaivoson learns about the traditional Vietnamese art of making tò he (traditional clay figurines) - Photo: THANH HIỆP

The French Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City was impressed and expressed a desire to experience calligraphy from young artisans who still preserve Vietnamese cultural identity - Photo: THANH HIEP

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/tet-viet-dau-tien-cham-vao-cam-xuc-cua-tong-lanh-su-phap-tai-tp-hcm-20260211231324687.htm#content-11