In recent days, the Vietnamese Engineering Company has organized various New Year celebration activities for its officers and staff.
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Tet Pole raised in the yard of the command post to encourage the Vietnamese peacekeepers who are welcoming the lunar New Year far from home |
The unit has raised a “cay neu” (Tet Pole), invited international friends to join the Banh Chung (square glutinous rice cake) making event, and held sports exchanges with other units. A Tet pole was raised in the yard of the command post to encourage the Vietnamese peacekeepers who are welcoming the lunar New Year far from home.
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The Vietnamese Engineering Company's officers guide international friends to make Banh Chung. |
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The Mongolian and Indian officers learn to make Banh Chung. |
For the Vietnamese “blue berets,” the lunar New Year 2024 is an opportunity for them to introduce traditional Vietnamese dishes to international friends. In the Vietnamese people’s culture, Banh Chung is indispensable in Tet meals.
Over the past few days, the logistics team has been busy preparing Tet dishes to ensure that Tet meals have gio (steamed pork roll), spring rolls, and some traditional cakes.
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An international friend shows his first Banh Chung. |
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Celebrating Tet with comrades |
During activities, international friends and colleagues at UNISFA were very excited hearing stories about the origin of Banh Chung and Banh Giay (round sticky-rice cake) which symbolize the Earth and the Sun, respectively. International guests joyfully made Banh Chung under the dedicated guidance of the soldiers from the Vietnamese Engineering Company. Thanks to that, international guests had a better understanding of the Vietnamese people’s Tet culture imbued with the national identity. For them, directly making Banh Chung was an unique experience.
Recently, the U.N. has recognized the lunar New Year as an annual holiday at the body, marking the international community’s recognition of traditional Asian culture. Therefore, all officers and staff of the Vietnamese Engineering Company this year had a day off on the first day of the lunar New Year to together celebrate Tet.
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Banh Chung given to international friends as gifts |
Earlier, the Vietnamese Engineering Company organized volleyball, table tennis, and Banh Chung making competitions for divisions in the unit to create a joyful Tet atmosphere.
The New Year celebration activities of the Vietnamese Engineering Company in Abyei have contributed to spreading the beauty of the Vietnamese culture and customs to international friends and demonstrated their wishes for happiness and safety for all people.
Translated by Tran Hoai