Organised by the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the event marked Vietnamese Language Day among overseas communities.
In a video message, deputy foreign minister Le Thi Thu Hang said the initiative has spread widely in recent years, helping strengthen cultural identity and connect younger generations with their roots.
She expressed hope the language would continue to be preserved and promoted as a cultural bridge and a channel to showcase Vietnam globally.
Nguyen Trung Kien, chairman of the committee, said the Vietnamese language preserves national memory and links generations of Vietnamese people to their heritage.
He stressed that protecting the language, particularly among younger overseas Vietnamese, is vital to maintaining cultural identity and strengthening community cohesion.
Reviewing the programme’s progress, he said six Vietnamese language ambassadors were honoured in 2025, alongside nine commemorative medals and 12 Vietnamese-language book collections presented to overseas communities.
Professor Hoang Anh Tuan, president of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities under Vietnam National University, Hanoi, said the 2026 programme would shift from a competition format to recognising individuals with significant contributions to promoting the language and culture.
A range of activities, including exhibitions, book launches and presentations, were held with the participation of organisations such as Vietnam Education Publishing House, VTV4, the Liaison Association for Overseas Vietnamese and the Global Vietnamese Language Teaching Network.
Tuan also outlined plans for 2026, including a free Vietnamese language teaching channel for overseas communities in 25 countries, about 30 training courses for teachers, AI-based learning tools, academic conferences and a national report on Vietnamese language teaching abroad.
At the event, students introduced AI-powered applications to support Vietnamese language learning, while two ambassadors shared their experiences promoting the language in Malaysia.
The ceremony also saw the signing of a cooperation agreement between Vietnam Education Publishing House and VTV4 to expand Vietnamese language programming for overseas audiences.
The launch highlights continued efforts by authorities and overseas communities to preserve and promote Vietnamese as a global cultural link.
