Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang has agreed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ proposal for a 2024 plan to mark the Day for Honouring Vietnamese Language in Vietnamese Communities Abroad (September 8) next year, according to VNA.
Vietnamese representative agencies abroad will collaborate with relevant ministries, agencies, and localities to implement activities within the framework of the plan. These activities will promote the expats’ maintenance of their mother tongue and recognize and encourage exemplary individuals who contribute to the preservation of the language in the communities.
The funding for implementing the plan will come from the state budget, sponsorships, support from organizations and individuals in Vietnam and abroad, and other sources in accordance with regulations.
|
| The Vietnamese Embassy in the Czech Republic in July 2023 presents certificates of merit to Vietnamese individuals who have made great contributions to community affairs and outstanding achievements in study and scientific research. Photo: VNA |
On August 3, 2022, the Prime Minister approved a project serving the celebration of the date for 2023 – 2030.
The day was chosen because September 8, 1945, was the date the provisional Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam launched a campaign on illiteracy eradication. Additionally, on September 8, 1962, President Ho Chi Minh emphasized the need to preserve, respect, and promote the mother tongue in his remarks at the third congress of the Vietnam Journalists Association. Moreover, September 8 is also observed as International Literacy Day annually.
Accordingly, activities to celebrate the day will be carried out throughout the year and can be integrated into festivals and significant national anniversaries. The project aims to make the Day for Honouring Vietnamese Language an important annual milestone in the cultural and spiritual life of the communities through practical events to honor the richness of the Vietnamese language and enhance awareness, particularly among the younger generation. It is also expected to promote Vietnamese language teaching and learning.
Activities to celebrate the day will be held and integrated into festivals and special occasions. Individuals, organizations, families, and associations with positive contributions to maintaining and spreading the language among the Vietnamese community abroad will also be honored.
|
| A ceremony to launch a TV program “Chao Tieng Viet” (Hello Vietnamese language) and a contest to seek ambassadors of the Vietnamese language abroad was held in Hanoi on March 31. Photo: VNA |
For more than 5.3 million overseas Vietnamese living in more than 130 countries and territories worldwide, the Vietnamese language is a means for them to preserve their traditional culture and establish themselves while integrating into the local communities. The language also serves as a bridge to connect overseas Vietnamese with their motherland.
However, the language is at risk of falling into oblivion in overseas Vietnamese communities due to both objective and subjective reasons. Young generations of overseas Vietnamese, who are born and grow up abroad, are not aware of the significance of their mother tongue, while the teaching and learning of the language abroad face many difficulties.
The State and Party have always emphasized the teaching and learning of the Vietnamese language in Vietnamese communities abroad. Recently, a training course on Vietnamese language teaching was launched in Hanoi in August for over 60 Vietnamese teachers from 17 countries and territories. The annual event, which was first held in 2013, aims to enhance the teaching capacity for professional and non-professional teachers in community language facilities and update them with the latest knowledge in training techniques. The course will run until August 31. To date, more than 800 overseas teachers have participated in such courses.
