Spreading the Love for Uncle Ho in the Vietnamese Community in Japan

The storytelling, drawing, singing, and poetry recitation contest about Uncle Ho attracted nearly 100 entries, contributing to preserving cultural identity and love for the homeland in the Vietnamese community in Japan.

Little Kim Tra My receives a Certificate of Merit from the leaders of the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan.

On December 15, at the Vietnamese Embassy in Tokyo, Japan, the award ceremony for the 2025 "Storytelling, Drawing, Singing, and Poetry Recitation about Uncle Ho for Children" contest took place.

The event was organized by the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan in collaboration with the Union of Vietnamese Associations in Japan and various community organizations, attracting the participation of numerous delegates, parents, teachers, and Vietnamese children living and studying in Japan.

The contest was launched in May, aimed at Vietnamese and Japanese teenagers and children, with the goal of helping them gain a deeper understanding of the thoughts, morals, and style of President Ho Chi Minh; while nurturing love for the homeland, national pride, and encouraging the development of artistic talents.

Through four categories including storytelling, drawing, singing, and poetry recitation, the contest has become a meaningful playground, contributing to preserving the Vietnamese language and cultural identity in the Vietnamese community in Japan.

According to the organizers, this year's contest attracted nearly 100 entries from 16 provinces and cities across Japan, spanning various age groups from 3 to 22 years old. Among them, the primary school contestant group accounted for the highest proportion, demonstrating the strong spread of the contest to the young generation, the future owners of the overseas Vietnamese community.

The drawing format accounted for the largest proportion, followed by singing, poetry recitation, and storytelling, reflecting the diversity in the ways the children expressed their affection for Uncle Ho.

Many works were highly evaluated by the Jury for their serious investment and creativity in both content and form.

The colorful paintings depicted Uncle Ho in a simple, close manner with children; the songs, poems, and stories carried pure, sincere emotions.

In particular, many works skillfully connected images of the Vietnamese homeland with the children's current life in Japan, demonstrating a consciousness of preserving roots even while living far from the Fatherland.

Leaders of the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan congratulate the "Vietnamese Community Book Station in Japan" Project.

Speaking at the ceremony, Counselor Nguyen Sau emphasized that 2025 is a year with many major events associated with President Ho Chi Minh - the beloved leader of the Vietnamese nation.

The contest is not only an artistic activity for children but also carries profound educational significance, contributing to nurturing the soul, personality, and civic consciousness for the young Vietnamese generation abroad.

The Counselor expressed emotion at the pure affection, national pride, and spirit directed towards the homeland of the children through each contest entry.

After the judging process, the organizers awarded 15 individual prizes and 2 collective prizes. Among them, the Special Prize went to the young contestant Trinh Anh Tu (7 years old, Aichi) with the drawing work "Uncle Ho and the Vietnamese Seedlings on Foreign Land."

In addition to cash prizes, the organizers also awarded 2 round-trip air tickets from Japan to Vietnam, carrying the meaning of spiritual connection, creating opportunities for the children and their families to return to visit the homeland.

In an interview with VNA reporters in Japan, contestant Nhat Nam, who won the Encouragement Prize with the drawing work "Uncle Ho Reading Books with Children," expressed emotion. He said that through the stories told by his mother and photos of Uncle Ho, he got the idea to draw the painting expressing Uncle Ho's affection for children.

On the same day, at the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan, the launch ceremony of the "Vietnamese Community Book Station in Japan" Project also took place, an activity with long-term, sustainable, and highly humanistic value.

Speaking at the event, Ms. Le Thuong, Vice President of the Union of Vietnamese Associations in Japan, President of the Vietnamese Association in the Kansai Region, said that the project was built to spread knowledge, nurture reading culture, preserve the Vietnamese language, and cultivate national cultural identity in the Vietnamese community in Japan, especially the young generation.

The Vietnamese Community Book Station in Japan is located in Tokyo, operating as an open reading space, managing book borrowing through a fanpage, with the participation of a volunteer team.

The project has the companionship of many scientists, experts, and Vietnamese associations in Japan, including the Vietnam Studies Center, Vietnamese language schools, and many local hometown associations.

Not only a place to read books, the book station also aims to become a community connection space, a place for knowledge exchange, inspiring self-study spirit and responsibility towards the homeland and country./.