Awakening the desire for development
Over the past years, Vietnam has achieved impressive achievements in foreign affairs, economy , culture and society. The country's prestige and position have been constantly strengthened, along with the growing trust of the international community in the country's institutions and governance capacity. Having the opportunity to travel abroad and meet international friends coming to Vietnam, that feeling is even clearer. Inviting us to enjoy grilled offal in the land of kimchi, teacher Shin Sang Soo, in charge of Vietnamese students, International Cooperation Department, Keimyung University (Korea), said that he really likes Vietnam and has been to Vietnam dozens of times. Every time, he wants to expand cooperation with Vietnamese partners. Similarly, when asked, many foreigners expressed surprise at the beauty, culture, cuisine and rapid development of Vietnam. “Perhaps in few countries do we see heads of state leisurely cycling, walking, sitting and drinking coffee, eating bread... like in Vietnam,” Mr. Wesley Green (USA) shared with us after several years living in Vietnam.
Foreign tourists experience activities in Hoi An ( Da Nang ). Photo: HOAI NHAN |
However, it seems that the national image still does not truly reflect the stature and aspirations of Vietnam in the new era, and the majority of the world public also needs to know Vietnam with many aspects and experiences. Comrade Luong Thanh Nghi, former Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia and Denmark, said that although Vietnam's image has had many positive changes, there still exist prejudices about our country such as poverty, backwardness... Works such as "Good Morning Vietnam" or "Miss Saigon" continue to be shown, contributing to maintaining a one-sided, outdated view. "To change international perceptions, not only practical actions are needed but also methodical, strategic and highly convincing communication campaigns", Comrade Luong Thanh Nghi emphasized.
According to comrade Pham Anh Tuan, Director of the Department of Grassroots Information and External Information (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism), Vietnam needs to transform itself from a "known" country to an "admired" model, "saying what we have" to "telling stories that the world wants to hear".
Comrade Doan Duc Thuan, Deputy Director of the Institute for Brand and Competitiveness Strategy, stated: “We are living in a period with major trends that are affecting the country, each business, people and the image of Vietnam such as digital transformation, green transformation, artificial intelligence (AI), geopolitics, taxes, climate change... If we do not exploit them, we will be lost”. Comrade Doan Duc Thuan said: We need to take those trends as a context to reposition the story of Vietnam. We cannot keep telling the story of ao dai, bun cha, conical hats... but must be creative and updated according to global trends. The story of Vietnam needs to be inspired by the desire for development, the capacity for innovation and an increasingly important role in the international arena.
Creating soft power
Vietnam is entering a new era, where the national brand is no longer a slogan but a key soft power in attracting investment, cooperation, tourism and improving competitiveness. The question is how will we tell the story and convey the message of Vietnam?
Comrade Luong Thanh Nghi emphasized: “Effectively conveying the national image requires a clear, consistent message that remains stable for 5-10 years, instead of changing according to tenure or trends. Vietnam needs to convey the image of a modern, dynamic country with great aspirations and actively contributing to the world.”
According to Dr. Do Anh Duc (University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi): “Media is not only a tool to push information but also a process to create new values”. Positioning the national image needs to start from the question: “What does the world need from Vietnam?”. We need to use a global voice to spread our own values.
For example, with Ao Dai, instead of just promoting the form, we need to share personal experiences and rich perspectives from the community. Or when it comes to peace and stability, the world will ask: What do we do with that advantage in the context of many global conflicts?". From a business perspective, Director of 5S Media, Ms. Pham Thu Hang, said: "When businesses are proud of the image of Vietnam and are willing to integrate the image of Vietnam into their packaging, website, products, and image promotion campaigns, that is a huge media force for the national image." Perhaps Korea does these things very well. Now the whole world is talking about the band Blackpink, or the movie "Squid Game", the Hallyu cultural wave... What we admire even more is that businesses and schools in your country are always ready to tell their stories associated with Korean trends in the world.
Giving gifts to tourists on Emirates' first flight from Dubai to Da Nang. Photo: NGUYEN DINH |
According to comrade Doan Duc Thuan, to build a strong national brand, close coordination between the Government, businesses and people is needed. The Government has the role of arousing national aspirations and selecting values that are in line with global trends such as creativity, sustainability, peace and justice. Businesses need to build their own brands but at the same time must join the flow of national brand positioning. Equally important, every Vietnamese citizen, whether at home or abroad, is a "brand ambassador" of the country. They need to be equipped with knowledge, skills and stories to tell about Vietnam in a convincing and attractive way. Because in the end, as many experts have concluded: The story of Vietnam is not only of the Government, not just businesses, people... but is an overall symphony. Soft power does not come from slogans but from real values told in a global language and from the heart of a country that knows who it is and where it wants to go in this flat world.
Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/thay-doi-cach-quang-ba-lan-toa-hinh-anh-viet-nam-ra-the-gioi-a424204.html
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