Beloved Vietnamese Gala 2026: Kites soaring high from mother tongue

Vietnamese - A thread connecting to our roots

Following the success of the "Beloved Vietnamese Language Gala" programs held since 2023, on the evening of August 26th in Hanoi, the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs , in coordination with the Foreign Affairs Television Department of Vietnam Television, organized the 2026 "Beloved Vietnamese Language Gala" with the theme "Kites soaring high from mother tongue". The program was organized to celebrate the Day of Honoring the Vietnamese Language in the Overseas Vietnamese Community (September 8th), contributing to honoring the beauty and value of the Vietnamese language, spreading love for the mother tongue, and encouraging generations of overseas Vietnamese to preserve, use, and spread the Vietnamese language.

With the theme "Kites soaring high from mother tongue", this year's Gala explores the image of the kite, a familiar symbol in Vietnamese culture, to tell the story of the journey of the Vietnamese community abroad. Despite living, studying, and working in many countries around the world, each person still carries the Vietnamese language and cultural values with them on their journey of integration, contribution, and reaching further.

Through artistic performances, documentaries, and interactive activities in the studio, the program introduces stories about Vietnamese language classes, teachers, families, and young people who are persistently preserving the Vietnamese language in many countries around the world.

Speaking at the program, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang emphasized that for every Vietnamese person, the mother tongue is the lullaby sung by their grandmother and mother in their early years, the memory of the village communal house, the riverside, the countryside, and also the repository of the nation's history, culture, and soul.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang shared that a kite can fly high and far thanks to the winds of aspiration and integration, but the kite is only truly stable when it remains attached to its roots. For the Vietnamese community abroad, that thread is the Vietnamese language, the language of kinship, identity, and national pride.

The nation's soft resources

The 2026 Vietnamese Gala is taking place against the backdrop of the Politburo having just issued Resolution No. 23-NQ/TW dated August 2, 2026, on the work related to Vietnamese people abroad.

The resolution affirms that work related to overseas Vietnamese continues to be identified as a crucial and ongoing task, contributing to strengthening national unity and leveraging the resources of overseas Vietnamese around the world. Therefore, preserving and promoting the Vietnamese language is not only culturally significant but also contributes to strengthening the community's connection with their homeland, creating a foundation for overseas Vietnamese to continue contributing their intellect, resources, and affection to the country.

Resolution 23-NQ/TW affirms that Vietnamese people living abroad are an inseparable part of the Vietnamese national community, one of the important strategic resources contributing to enhancing the overall national strength; a bridge between Vietnam and the world; and a companion and direct participant in the cause of building, developing, and protecting the Vietnamese Fatherland.

Since 2023, the "Beloved Vietnamese Language Gala" has become an annual event, spreading love for the Vietnamese language to a large community of Vietnamese people abroad and international friends. The vitality of the program comes not only from the artistic performances but also from the stories of ordinary people: volunteer teachers who open weekend classes, parents who persistently speak Vietnamese with their children every day, and young people born abroad who proudly sing and write poetry in their mother tongue.

8 Ambassadors spreading the Vietnamese language closer to the world:

The highlight of the Gala was the awarding of the "Ambassador of the Vietnamese Language Abroad" title for 2026 to eight outstanding individuals: Mr. Shimizu Masaaki (Japan), Tijn Konings Le (11 years old, Netherlands), Ms. Nguyen Thi Lien Huong (Taiwan), Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Hien (Denmark), Ms. Tran Ngoc Thao (France), Ms. Nguyen Phuong Chung ( USA ), Ms. Tran Huyen Huong (Australia), and Venerable Thich Phap Quang (Sri Lanka).

The Organizing Committee has decided to increase the number of honored Ambassadors from 6 to 8 individuals in order to recognize more exemplary individuals and spread inspiring stories more widely.

Notably, this year's Ambassadors are very diverse, ranging from 11-year-old children, foreigners who love the Vietnamese language, monks, teachers, to individuals working in various fields but all sharing a love and attachment to the Vietnamese language. This shows that the Vietnamese language is not only preserved by the Vietnamese community abroad but is also increasingly receiving attention and support from international friends and younger generations.

The 8 Vietnamese Ambassadors Abroad in 2026 are exemplary individuals who have been tirelessly contributing to spreading the Vietnamese language through their love, creativity, and unwavering dedication.

The Ambassadors are not only Vietnamese people living abroad, but also foreigners who have a special affection for Vietnam, love the Vietnamese language, and have made many practical and meaningful contributions to teaching, promoting, and spreading the Vietnamese language to international friends. Each Ambassador, through their own journey, has added another bridge to bring the Vietnamese language closer to the community and the world.

Preserving our mother tongue, nurturing love for our homeland

From Vietnamese language classes abroad and Vietnamese homes in foreign lands to activities honoring and spreading the Vietnamese language, the journey of preserving our mother tongue is being continued through many generations.

Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang expressed her wish that every Vietnamese family abroad would continue to preserve their mother tongue as a part of the nation's soul; that every teacher would continue to ignite the love for the Vietnamese language; and that every young person would proudly speak, read, and tell the story of Vietnam in their own language.

The 2026 Vietnamese Language Gala continues to affirm the significance of preserving and promoting the Vietnamese language not only in terms of culture, but also in strengthening the bond between the Vietnamese community abroad and their homeland, creating a foundation for overseas Vietnamese to continue contributing their intellect, resources, and affection to the country.

From their mother tongue, Vietnamese kites can fly high and far on their journey of integration, but they remain connected to their roots – the place that preserves their identity, family ties, and national pride.