At the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Nguyen Thi Bich Hue extended the best New Year wishes to the Vietnamese community in Italy and Cyprus and expressed her gratitude for their support to the homeland in times of need.
She noted with satisfaction that Vietnamese culture has been popularized in Italy despite complex developments of the COVID-19 pandemic.
September 8 has been chosen to honor the mother tongue among OVs, and many people attend Vietnamese language classes in Italy.
With efforts by the Vietnamese Embassy in all fields, particularly citizen protection work, hundreds of Vietnamese in Italy and Cyprus were safely repatriated home amid the ongoing pandemic.
Musical performances were staged at the event, featuring ‘cheo’ - a form of Vietnamese traditional stage art and ‘quan ho’ love duet singing, together with Vietnamese poems ‘Truyen Kieu’ (the Tale of Kieu) recited by young Italians.
In Sydney, Australia, more than 30 members of Vietnamese families who are part of the New Sunlight for Children (NSL) charity, on January 22 arranged an event to cook traditional dishes of Vietnam, particularly chung (square glutinous rice) cake and fried spring rolls, to welcome the upcoming lunar Year of the Tiger.
It raised more than 100 million VND (4,410 USD) to support poor children in Vietnam.
Phuong Phan, a founding member of the NSL, said that the event was planned in early December last year, as members have taken precaution amid the spread of COVID-19 in the city.
It also offered a chance for children born and raised in Australia to learn more about the traditional culture of their homeland, she added.
The NSL actively connects Vietnamese families in Australia and supports needy students in Vietnam for years.
Last year, the charity raised nearly 14,000 AUD (10,030 USD) to present scholarships worth 2 million VND each to 79 disadvantaged students in 12 Vietnamese localities.
Source: VNA