At a Vietnamese language class overseas. (Source: VNA)

Talking to the press on the occasion, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairwoman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese (SCOV) Le Thi Thu Hang emphasised that the Vietnamese Language Day for overseas Vietnamese project for the 2023-2030 period, proposed by SCOV and approved by the Prime Minister in 2022, represents a significant breakthrough in maintaining and developing the language in the OV community. This initiative is a crucial driving force for enhancing related teaching and learning activities, meeting the practical needs of the community.

Over the past two years, the project has garnered significant attention from agencies, organisations, and businesses, especially from overseas Vietnamese.

According to the diplomat, the committee, in collaboration with various ministries and agencies, has undertaken concerted efforts such as training Vietnamese language teachers in Vietnam and abroad, and setting up Vietnamese language bookcases and providing books in Japan, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan (China), Austria, France, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Belgium, and Qatar, among others. Additionally, they have worked on developing Vietnamese language teaching websites and media programmes like "Chào Tiếng Việt" (Hello Vietnamese) and “Dấu ấn Việt Nam" (Vietnamese Impressions) on Vietnam Television’s Channel 4.

The OV community has actively supported Vietnamese Language Day activities by establishing departments dedicated to the mother tongue in their associations, opening or expanding their Vietnamese language schools, forming related forums, and organising seminars and workshops to share teaching methods and experiences.

Notably, in the past two years, a competition searching for Vietnamese language ambassadors has recognised 10 individuals, including an 8-year-old OV living in Japan and a Lao national.

Hang also highlighted the importance of encouraging young Vietnamese born abroad to preserve the Vietnamese language, as they are the future of the community and crucial for maintaining the homeland’s traditional cultural identities.

She said the committee has implemented various programmes to promote related learning among the group, including an annual Vietnam summer camp, where fluency in Vietnamese is a key selection criterion. This programme allows young OV to participate in cultural and historical activities and connect with their homeland, providing opportunities to practice and improve their Vietnamese language skills.

Over the past decade, SCOV, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Training, universities, and the Vietnam Education Publishing House, has organised annual training sessions for Vietnamese language teachers, initially in Vietnam and now increasingly at local sites abroad.

The committee also supports the maintenance, renovation, and establishment of educational facilities in countries where the OV community faces difficulties, such as Laos and Cambodia, while providing relevant textbooks and learning materials, and assisting OV initiatives to preserve the language, including a forum in Poland and a Vietnamese class and seminar in Fukuoka, Japan. It is also working to promote Vietnamese as a primary language in educational systems in France, Laos, and Taiwan (China).

According to the Deputy Minister, the Vietnamese language ambassadors include not only those recognised in the competition but also a wide network of dedicated teachers, both professional and volunteer persons, who teach Vietnamese wherever the OV community resides. Playing a vital role in preserving and promoting the language worldwide, they are key to maintaining and transmitting Vietnamese cultural heritage to younger generations abroad and to international friends.

SCOV greatly appreciates and is committed to supporting these educators in their noble mission, Hang affirmed.