VIETNAMESE COMMUNITY ABROAD - AN IMPORTANT RESOURCE CONTRIBUTING TO NARROWING THE GAP BETWEEN VIETNAMESE AND WORLD CULTURE

The Vietnamese community abroad not only actively contributes to the development of the host country but also makes an important contribution to promoting cooperative and friendly relations between Vietnam and other countries, as well as the cause of building and develop the country, promote Vietnamese national culture to international friends. One of the typical active organizations is the Vietnamese Association in Saitama.

The Vietnamese Association in Saitama was established on September 11, 2023, is a representative organization of the Vietnamese community living in Saitama (Japan), established with the support of the Vietnamese Embassy in Saitama. Japan and Saitama province office, with the purpose of linking Vietnamese Associations/Vietnamese Community Liaison Committees have been established in each city in Saitama province. Besides, the Association is also an information and communication bridge between the Vietnamese community, the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan and the Saitama provincial office; capture information and timely support for risks arising in the life of the Vietnamese community in Saitama province; Introducing traditional Vietnamese culture to Japan.

Logo of the Vietnamese Association in Saitama

The highest position holder and founder of the Association is Chairman Pham Dinh Thuong, currently holding the following positions: General Director of SUN SHINE Joint Stock Company; Standing Vice President of GTN Global Import-Export and Trade Association; Vice President of EVER Vietnam Joint Stock Company; Vice President of the Cultural Event Organizing Committee Hello Saitama (main responsible for planning and coordinating the organization).

Chairman of the Vietnamese Association in Saitama - Mr. Pham Dinh Thuong 

Sharing about the context and purpose of establishing the Association with Dan Tri newspaper, Mr. Pham Dinh Thuong said: "When they first came to Japan, young Vietnamese people, including me, encountered many difficulties in the process of learning about the Association. , get acquainted and adapt to new culture and society. During that difficult time, the Vietnamese community was a great source of encouragement and support for me. I was fortunate to receive a lot of help and support from my brothers and sisters, from sharing experiences and knowledge about living and working in Japan, helping me quickly adapt to the new environment. Looking back at the help I received, I realize my mission is not simply to achieve personal success but also to contribute and give back to the community.

According to Mr. Nguyen Manh Dong - Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese, his assessment of the role of overseas Vietnamese resources (NVNONN) in serving the country's development: The NVNONN community, with The patriotic tradition, always looking towards the Fatherland, has always been an important resource, making many contributions to the process of building, protecting and developing our country throughout history.

Currently, with about 6 million Vietnamese people living in more than 130 countries and territories, of which 80% are in developed countries, the NVNONN community is increasingly growing, affirming its role, position, and prestige. mine. Typically, as of June 2023, there are more than 36,683 Vietnamese people in Saitama province (Japan); As of October 2023, the overseas Vietnamese community in Thailand has about 100,000-200,000 people and this number is increasing. Invisibly, a miniature Vietnamese community or society will be formed in Saitama province (Japan), in Bangkok (Thailand) and in other countries and territories.

Thus, in the long term, the NVNONN community in general, the Vietnamese Association in Saitama, the Vietnamese Association in Bangkok, etc. in particular will increasingly have better status and development conditions in their local area. Mr. Nguyen Manh Dong said, for our country, the resources of the NVNONN community are concentrated in 03 areas:

First, it is economic resources. Over the past three decades, the amount of remittances sent home by overseas Vietnamese has reached over 206 billion dollars. This amount of remittances has contributed significantly to the country's socio-economic development, promoting trade activities. trade, services, production, business, support and maintenance of social security, organization of cultural promotion activities...

Second is knowledge resources. There are many high-quality resources in the fields of science and technology such as electronics, semiconductors, new materials, biomedicine... that are leading the world's development trend. This resource is increasingly growing, with the skills, experience and industrial style trained abroad, which are also promoted after returning home, and have become an important human resource in the industrial process. modernize and modernize the country.

Third is cultural and connection resources - a sustainable, long-term resource. 6 million NVNONN are also 6 million cultural "messengers", bringing Vietnamese culture abroad through preserving and promoting cultural identities, customs, and living habits in Vietnamese families. Both understanding Vietnamese culture and the local culture where they live, the NVNONN community has valuable advantages in connecting people, the foundation for maintaining friendly relations between countries; economic and trade connections, promoting Vietnamese goods and products... at home.

The opening activity marked the cultural connection between Vietnam and Japan

In recent years, the country's development achievements and position have also helped the NVNONN community increasingly have better status and development conditions at home. Our people living far away from the Fatherland are not only proud of the country, but also see more clearly the organic relationship between the role and position of the country in their own development, thereby gaining more confidence. and motivation to contribute to the construction, development and defense of the Fatherland.

Standing out with an event of international cultural exchange between Vietnam and Japan is the Vietnam Festival "Hello! Saitama” will be held in September 2023 in Japan. The event received the sponsorship of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the coordination of the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan, the Saitama provincial government, the Vietnamese Association in Saitama and a number of other associations and businesses of the two countries. on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Japan. At the event, traditional ethnic art performance activities such as Chau Van singing, Bac Ninh Quan ho singing, T'rung instrument performance... were authentically recreated, imbued with the typical Vietnamese national culture that has been captured. attracted 100,000 participants. Vietnamese Festival “Hello! Saitama” is also a turning point marking the musical and artistic cooperation between Vietnamese and Japanese culture.

Music exchange program at Vietnam Festival "Hello! Saitama"

According to Mr. Nguyen Manh Dong, in order to attract and effectively promote resources to become an important "push force" contributing to the country's economic and cultural development, it is necessary to be closely associated with support, care and development. Mobilizing resources should continue to create favorable conditions to connect overseas Vietnamese with the country; Develop policies to encourage overseas Vietnamese to invest in developing the country, as well as ensure investment activities of Vietnamese people abroad, promptly support and assist in necessary cases.

In addition to strengthening the country's position, there should be measures to support the strengthening of the legal status of the Vietnamese community, and exchanges with other countries to create favorable conditions for the Vietnamese community to do business and live in the country. at home, contributing to the local area and homeland.