The annual four-day summer festival, which kicked off on July 25, was a celebration of Vietnamese culture and community in Berlin. The event featured a diverse range of live performances, including music, art, comedy, dance, and culinary delights, showcasing the vibrant fusion of Vietnamese and German cultures. One of the highlights was a special film program presenting award-winning short films and exclusive pre-screenings of the new series, “Made in Germany,” directed by the talented Vietnamese-German director, Ngo Ngoc Duc.
The festival also marked a significant milestone—the 20th anniversary of the shopping center’s founding. Nguyen Van Hien, the general director, reminisced about the challenges and triumphs of the center’s journey, now a thriving and unique presence in the multicultural landscape of Berlin. The Mayor of Lichtenberg, Martin Schaefer, acknowledged the district’s evolution, home to Dong Xuan and the largest Vietnamese community in Berlin, shaped by the immigrants who now call it home.
Schaefer highlighted the significant contribution of the Vietnamese community to the area, with nearly 12,500 Vietnamese descendants out of approximately 310,000 residents in Lichtenberg. The shopping center and other establishments founded by Vietnamese expatriates in Berlin and Brandenburg have played a pivotal role in fostering social integration and connection. Vietnamese Ambassador to Germany, Vu Quang Minh, emphasized the importance of Dong Xuan as not just a commercial hub but also a cultural bridge, contributing to Berlin’s tax revenue, creating job opportunities, and serving as a gathering space for people from all walks of life, especially the youth.
Art programme to welcome Lunar New Year’s Eve
NDO – A special art programme, bringing together many renowned and world-class artists from abroad, who are returning to Vietnam for the first time with their families to participate in the Lunar New Year’s Eve programme, which will be officially broadcasted on Vietnam Television (VTV) at 9:15 pm on January 24 (the Lunar New Year’s Eve).
“Japanese Culture Festival” opens in Da Nang city
NDO/VNA – The Da Nang Museum held the “Japanese Culture Festival” 2019 in the central city of Da Nang on March 10 to introduce the beauty of the culture, land and people of Japan to locals and visitors, thus contributing to the strengthening of cultural exchange between the two countries and bilateral friendship.
Ninh Binh Tourism Week 2018 opens
NDO – The Ninh Binh Tourism Week 2018 officially opened at the Tam Coc – Bich Dong Tourism Area and Trang An Ecotourism Area, in the northern province of Ninh Binh on June 9.
Dong Thap hosts its first lotus festival
NDO – The first Lotus Festival opened at Van Mieu Park in Cao Lanh city located in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap on September 1.
Vietnamese durian introduced to Australia
A ceremony to open the 2019 Vietnamese Durian Tasting Roadshow was held in Sydney, Australia on Oct. 29. The show offered durian to people to boost Vietnamese durian’s reputation in Australia.
