The Multinational Cultural and Culinary Festival at UNISFA was an opportunity for peacekeeping forces from different countries to showcase their national cultures, enhance mutual understanding, and strengthen friendship and solidarity among international forces.
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Representatives of participating units in a joint photo |
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The Vietnamese dishes attractive to participants |
The Vietnamese contingent, including personnel from the Ministry of National Defense working group, the Ministry of Public Security working group, and Engineering Company Rotation 3, actively prepared and participated in the event with a spirit of national pride and high responsibility, aiming to introduce the rich cultural identity of Vietnam to international friends.
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International friends join the Vietnamese blue-beret soldiers in a bamboo dance. |
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International guests pose for photos in front of the Vietnamese cultural and culinary booth. |
The Vietnamese booth stood out with graceful "ao dai" (traditional long dress), charming conical hats, beautiful pictures of Vietnam’s landscapes, and especially a wide variety of distinctive, flavorful traditional dishes. The Engineering Company Rotation 3 carefully selected and presented traditional dishes that captured the taste of home, such as fried spring rolls, fried cakes, fresh summer rolls, mild sweet sticky rice balls, refreshing jelly sweet soup, unique sticky rice ice cream, and nutritious soy milk. Visitors not only had the chance to enjoy these delicious dishes, but also learned about Vietnamese cuisine and culture.
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International friends take photos with Vietnamese peacekeepers. |
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A friendly sports match between Vietnamese officers and those from Bangladesh unit |
On this occasion, the Engineering Company Rotation 3 had a cultural performance, titled “Meeting in the Apricot Forest,” featuring the traditional bamboo dance from Vietnam’s Northwestern region. The performance received warm applause from the audience and drew the participation of U.N. mission leaders and colleagues from other countries. The Vietnamese booth also displayed a selection of books and beautiful handmade crafts created by the Women’s Association of the Engineering Company Rotation 3, offering a truly immersive “cultural feast” to participants.
According to Head of the Logistics Team Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Duy Nam, who directly prepared the food booth, despite limited logistical supplies, everyone worked hard to maintain the authentic flavors while ensuring that the dishes looked appealing and met food safety standards. “We’re very happy to see international friends enjoy the food and give compliments to Vietnamese cuisine. This is a valuable opportunity for us to promote the image of Vietnam, its people, and culture to the world,” said Col. Nam.
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Members of the two teams in a joint photo |
Col. Nam said that the Vietnamese booth attracted a large number of guests, and many dishes, even those prepared in extra quantities, ran out due to high demand.
Peruvian Captain Rossmary Lucia Cristhine Segovia Vidal, an officer from the military observer coordination agency, recalled that last year she visited Vietnam, a wonderful country with a rich and diverse culture and friendly people. She wore a beautiful Vietnamese 'ao dai' and traveled to Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.
Before the food festival, the Engineering Company Rotation 3 actively participated in sports exchange activities organized by the mission. The unit competed in 6 out of 10 events, including table tennis, volleyball, badminton, and a 5,000-meter cross-country run.
The Multinational Cultural and Culinary Festival at UNISFA concluded successfully. Vietnamese blue-berets, true "cultural ambassadors," helped spread the image of a friendly and hospitable Vietnam with a rich cultural heritage to the world.
By Le Giang (from Abyei)
Translated by Tran Hoai