Czech festival showcases story of youthful, culturally rich Vietnam

A Vietnamese cultural festival took place from June 26–28 at the Zahrada cultural centre, Prague 11, Czech Republic, with nearly 2,000 visitors attending, primarily Czech audiences and members of the international community.

The event was jointly organised by the Movaland and ART SPACE Associations under the patronage of the Prague 11 district authorities, bringing together more than 50 young Vietnamese and people of Vietnamese origin from various countries, alongside young participants currently living in the Czech Republic.

Centred on presenting a Vietnam that is youthful and dynamic while remaining deeply rooted in cultural identity, the festival offered a diverse programme combining exhibitions, cultural experiences, cuisine, performing arts and film, contributing to the promotion of Vietnam’s image and people to Czech and international audiences.

A key highlight of the programme was a photography exhibition featuring works by young photographers, vividly portraying Vietnam through its people, street food, traditions and everyday life.

The festival also included an interactive cultural space for visitors of all ages, offering opportunities to explore traditional Vietnamese craft villages, including Chang Son paper fans, Thach Xa bamboo dragonflies and Dong Ho folk paintings. Visitors could also create small handicraft items inspired by Vietnamese culture, such as conical hat keyrings. Folk games area, meanwhile, attracted strong participation from children and families.

Vietnamese cuisine was another major feature of the festival, with eight leading culinary artisans from Vietnam participating in collaboration with the We Love Pho Association. The chefs not only introduced a range of traditional dishes but also shared stories reflecting the culture, memories and everyday life associated with Vietnamese food.

Notably, for the first time in Europe, the eight artisans jointly created a 10-metre-long spring roll display, providing a distinctive attraction that drew considerable public interest and helped showcase the richness of Vietnamese cuisine to international visitors.

Alongside the cultural and culinary activities, the festival presented an artistic programme involving nearly 100 young Vietnamese and people of Vietnamese heritage from Vietnam, the Czech Republic and other countries. Their performances draw on traditional cultural themes while adopting contemporary artistic forms, creating an atmosphere that was both vibrant and modern.

On June 28, a Vietnamese traditional costume parade became one of the festival’s focal points, introducing the beauty of Vietnamese attire across different historical periods.

Speaking at the event, Jiri Dohnal, member of the Prague 11 administrative council, thanked organisers for selecting Prague 11 as the venue for promoting Vietnamese culture. He noted that he lived in Vietnam for more than four years and therefore held strong personal ties and affection for Vietnamese culture and cuisine.

Ms. Pham Anh Thu, Principal of Olym School in Prague, praised the programme’s youthful and contemporary spirit.

Meanwhile, Milos Kusy, President of the Czech–Vietnam Friendship Association, expressed deep admiration for the vitality and enthusiasm of the younger Vietnamese generation.

He noted that what is especially valuable is that second-generation Vietnamese in the Czech Republic continue to preserve their roots and traditional cultural values while confidently introducing them to Czech society, helping strengthen understanding and ties between the two nations.

A new feature of this year’s festival the “Viet Culture in Motion” documentary film fest, which for the first time introduced Prague audiences to short documentaries on Vietnamese culture produced by young filmmakers, including several under the age of 18.

According to organisers, the festival was expected to welcome nearly 2,000 visitors over its three-day programme, mainly from the Czech public. The event was entirely non-profit, with part of the proceeds allocated to supporting disadvantaged children in Vietnam.