Bustling "Tet in my village" of the Vietnamese community in France

"Tet Lang Toi" - a program to welcome the Year of the Goat organized by the Association of Vietnamese in France (UGVF) - was truly a festival of the Vietnamese community in France with many diverse and rich cultural and artistic activities held from the afternoon until late at night on February 28 in the city of Nogent-sur-Marne, a suburb of Paris.

Fan dance performed by children. Photo: Vietnam+

The exciting activities in the program "Tet in my village" such as lion dance, peace and prosperity prayer ceremony, art performance, Tet market with dishes with strong Vietnamese flavor, traditional games... brought a joyful and exciting festival atmosphere to the Vietnamese community in France.

More than 1,000 overseas Vietnamese of all ages, coming from many different regions across France, gathered here to celebrate the nation's traditional New Year.

The lion dance on the drum background that opened the program impressed overseas Vietnamese and French friends present at the ceremony.

The ceremony of praying for peace and prosperity also brought deep emotions about Vietnamese cultural identity when generations of Lac Hong descendants, though thousands of miles away from their homeland, still preserve the customs and practices of their ancestors, respectfully light incense sticks to remember their ancestors, and pray for their parents and family to be healthy and prosperous every time Tet comes and Spring comes.

The art program lasting more than 2 hours was truly the highlight of the festival with special performances praising love for the homeland, love between couples, and feelings towards one's roots.

Folk songs such as Cai Luong singing, Quan Ho singing, fan dances, Co Tu ethnic dances, or traditional martial arts performed by non-professional artists and actors of the Vietnamese community in France have shown the efforts and dedication of the community in overcoming difficulties in daily life to care for and preserve the national cultural identity, maintain and teach that identity to younger generations.

Co Tu ethnic dance performed by amateur actors from the Association of Vietnamese in France. Photo: Vietnam+

The program also attracted viewers with performances by professional artists from the country who came to serve overseas Vietnamese in France on the occasion of the traditional New Year, such as Meritorious Artist Anh Tuyet and pianist Tuan Manh from the Ho Chi Minh City Conservatory of Music, and the Hanoi Xam Singing Band.

Professor Hoang Chuong, who is in charge of the dossier to request UNESCO to recognize Bài Chòi - a unique art form of the South Central region - as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity, performed Bài Chòi "Mr. Xa, Mrs. Doi." The performance brought refreshing laughter to the audience because Professor Hoang Chuong skillfully performed the ancient Bài Chòi by playing both male and female roles in a short comedy play.

Following the cultural program, overseas Vietnamese and international friends enjoyed indispensable dishes during Tet such as banh chung, nem ran, nem cuon, and salads...

Enjoy traditional Vietnamese dishes. Photo: Vietnam+

Speaking on this occasion, Mr. Nguyen Kim Hung, Secretary General of UGVF, wished the entire Vietnamese community in France and international friends a new year filled with health, happiness, success and prosperity.

Mr. Dang Ngoc Chan, member of the UGVF Standing Committee, in charge of foreign affairs, expressed the wish of the Vietnamese community in France to live in peace. He also recalled the important achievements that made the success of the Vietnam Year in France 2014, contributing to strengthening the friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and France, including the great contribution of the Vietnamese community in France.

Mr. Dang Ngoc Chan believes that bilateral relations will continue to be strengthened with the visit to Vietnam by French President François Hollande in 2015. On this occasion, he also expressed his gratitude to fishermen who work day and night at sea and soldiers who are always ready to protect territorial integrity in all situations.

The "Tet Lang Toi" festival has been meticulously prepared by more than 600 volunteers for many months with many stages such as performing arts, decorating the hall and stage, arranging sound and light, preparing traditional dishes...

Speaking to a VNA reporter in France, Nguyen Minh Thanh, Vice President of the Vietnamese Student Association in Paris and a student at Paris10-Nanterre University, said that the students were very excited and enthusiastic in preparing for this important and meaningful event.

A total of 102 students participated in the preparation and organization of the event in all stages. They all felt proud and lucky because this was an opportunity for them to live in the warm atmosphere of Tet after many years of studying abroad and living far away from their families, to meet and exchange.

At the same time, this is also an opportunity to help young people learn more about the customs and practices of the nation and realize the importance of preserving that identity.

According to Vietnam+