Viet Nam Summer Camp 2026 concludes: A journey through heritage, a lasting connection to the homeland
Leaders of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Khanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee present commemorative gifts to participants from Poland.
On the evening of 24 July, at 2 April Square in Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province, the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese (the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) held the closing ceremony of Vietnam Summer Camp 2026, themed "A journey through heritage, connecting to our roots". The event marked the conclusion of a 14-day, nearly 1,500-kilometre journey across Viet Nam for more than 100 young overseas Vietnamese from 32 countries and territories.
Attending the ceremony on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang and Mr. Nguyen Trung Kien, Chairman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese and Head of the Organising Committee for Vietnam Summer Camp 2026. Local leaders included Mr. Nguyen Thanh Ha, Vice Chairman of the Khanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee; Senior Colonel Pham Anh Tuan, Deputy Director of the Khanh Hoa Provincial Police; Senior Colonel Pham Duc Hung, Deputy Political Commissar of the Naval Academy; Huynh Thi Nhu Y, Deputy Secretary of the Khanh Hoa Provincial Youth Union and President of the Vietnam Students' Association in Khanh Hoa, together with representatives from provincial departments and agencies.
Held from 12 to 25 July, Vietnam Summer Camp 2026 took participants through many localities across the country: Ha Noi, Ninh Binh, Nghe An, Quang Tri, Hue, Da Nang, Gia Lai and Khanh Hoa. The opening ceremony took place in Ha Noi on 13 July, while the closing ceremony in Khanh Hoa on 24 July brought the programme to its conclusion.
More than 100 participants from 32 countries and territories joined Vietnam Summer Camp 2026.
Over the past 14 days, participants took part in a wide range of activities across the eight provinces and cities. To learn about Vietnamese history and their roots, they visited President Ho Chi Minh's hometown in Kim Lien and paid tribute at historic sites including Long Dai Ferry and the Gac Ma Soldiers Memorial.
Their heritage journey included visits to the Imperial Citadel of Hue, Hoi An Ancient Town, the My Son Sanctuary of Cham people, as well as museums and cultural spaces established by distinguished overseas Vietnamese. The educational programme featured activities at the Quy Nhon Science Discovery Centre, exchanges with the Naval Academy and discussions on Viet Nam's maritime sovereignty.
Campfires, cultural performances and the Vietnamese Language Gala strengthened friendships among participants from around the world. The programme also included charitable activities worth more than VND300 million and the inauguration of the first-ever Youth Bookshelf bearing the name Vietnam Summer Camp 2026.
Heritage: A legacy enriched by every generation
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang said the greatest significance of Vietnam Summer Camp was not simply bringing participants back to their homeland, but ensuring that "the homeland truly becomes a part of every participant's heart". She added that "heritage is not only what we preserve from the past, but also the values that each generation continues to cultivate for the future".
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang.
She expressed her hope that the young participants would continue this journey through their love for the homeland, their sense of responsibility and their positive contributions. Wherever they study or work, she encouraged them to proudly say, "I am Vietnamese", and to use their knowledge, kindness and dedication to share the image of Viet Nam and its people with friends around the world.
Carrying forward the legacy of overseas Vietnamese
A highlight of this year's programme was the opportunity for participants to visit projects created by distinguished overseas Vietnamese intellectuals and artists who have devoted themselves to the country's development. These included the Le Ba Dang Memorial Space, established by the France-based artist; the Perfume River Ancient Ceramics Museum founded by Germany-based Professor Thai Kim Lan; and the Quy Nhon Science Discovery Centre, inspired by the lifelong commitment of Professor Tran Thanh Van. Each destination told a powerful story of dedication and inspired young overseas Vietnamese to follow in the footsteps of previous generations.
Leaders of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Viet Nam Fatherland Front Committee of Khanh Hoa Province present commemorative gifts to outstanding participants of Vietnam Summer Camp 2026.
Representing the participants, one camper said that Vietnam Summer Camp 2026 had been far more than a sightseeing trip. It was "a journey to rediscover our roots and ourselves". They added that the Vietnamese language had brought together young people from distant countries, allowing each of them to become a bridge carrying the Vietnamese language, culture and spirit to the wider world.
A humanitarian legacy: More than VND300 million raised for community support
Beyond exploring their heritage, participants also left a meaningful humanitarian legacy. Throughout the journey, they raised more than VND300 million to provide gifts and scholarships for Vietnamese Heroic Mothers, families of war invalids and martyrs, victims of war and disadvantaged children in the localities they visited, reflecting the younger generation's gratitude, compassion and sense of social responsibility.
In Hue, on 18 July, at the Hue Traditional Craft Space, the delegation presented 30 gifts worth VND1 million each to people with disabilities at three institutions: Tinh Truc Gia Centre for Persons with Disabilities, the Hue Centre for Social Work and Children's Protection Fund, and the Hue Centre for Education and Vocational Training for Blind Children.
A farewell embrace.
In Quy Nhon (Gia Lai), during a martial arts exchange programme, participants presented gifts to 10 policy beneficiary families, war invalids, martyrs' families and Vietnamese Heroic Mothers. They also donated VND10 million to the Quy Hoa National Hospital for Dermatology and Leprosy and another VND10 million to the martial arts club at Long Phuoc Pagoda.
In Khanh Hoa, participants jointly established and inaugurated the first Youth Bookshelf named after Vietnam Summer Camp 2026. They also awarded 12 scholarships to students at the Naval Academy, worth more than VND200 million in total. During the closing ceremony, the delegation presented 10 additional scholarships to disadvantaged students in Khanh Hoa Province.
Speaking at the ceremony, Nguyen Thanh Ha, Vice Chairman of the Khanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee, said he believed the participants' experiences, from paying tribute at the Gac Ma Soldiers Memorial to interacting with cadets at the Naval Academy, had deepened their understanding of Viet Nam's maritime sovereignty and patriotic traditions while allowing them to appreciate the beauty of Khanh Hoa and its people. He expressed his hope that they would return to the friendly and welcoming coastal province in the future, adding that Vietnam Summer Camp has become a meaningful bridge connecting young overseas Vietnamese with their homeland.
Organised annually since 2004 by the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in coordination with ministries, agencies and local authorities, Vietnam Summer Camp has welcomed thousands of young overseas Vietnamese back to their homeland over the past two decades, strengthening their cultural identity and fostering a lasting sense of attachment and responsibility towards Viet Nam.
As the 14-day journey themed "A Journey Through Heritage, Connecting to Our Roots" came to an end, what remained was not only the memory of the places visited, but also a renewed love for the homeland. Wherever life may take them in the future, participants will carry a part of Viet Nam in their hearts.
Source: State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese
