Foreign students from the Faculty of Vietnamese Language and Literature won first prize in the 2023 National Vietnamese Public Speaking Competition.

Attendees included Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Van Phuc; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vu Hai Quan - Director of the Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City; Mr. Phan Anh Son - President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations; Mr. ONO Masuo - Consul General of Japan in Ho Chi Minh City and representatives from the Consulates General of Laos and Cambodia in Ho Chi Minh City; Director of the Department of International Cooperation (Ministry of Education and Training) Pham Quang Hung; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ngo Thi Phuong Lan - Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City.

Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Van Phuc and Mr. Phan Anh Son, President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations, presented the first prize to the team from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

In particular, the national final round featured the participation of the 12 best teams from 12 training institutions, representing 63 Vietnamese language training institutions across the country.

Nurturing and fostering friendship through a common language, Vietnamese.

In his opening remarks, Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Van Phuc shared: President Ho Chi Minh once advised: “Language is an extremely ancient and precious asset of the nation. We must preserve it, cherish it, and make it more widely known.” Uncle Ho's words from the past still hold profound value and significance today. In the trend of integration and development, the Vietnamese language is an important bridge connecting the homeland with international friends. Therefore, the teaching and learning of Vietnamese has always been a top priority for the Ministry of Education and Training, with continuous improvement and enhancement of its quality over the years.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Van Phuc inaugurated the National Final Round of the 2023 Vietnamese Public Speaking Competition for Overseas Students.

The Deputy Minister informed: Currently, there are approximately 22,000 foreign students studying at over 160 educational institutions in Vietnam. In the last five years (2016-2022), Vietnam has received and trained more than 45,000 foreign students from 102 countries and territories. On average, between 4,000 and over 6,000 foreign students are admitted to Vietnamese educational institutions each year.
In line with global educational trends, where language proficiency is the key to unlocking the first door in a promising yet challenging academic journey, the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training has always identified Vietnamese language proficiency as the crucial factor determining the quality of teaching and learning for international students in Vietnam. Therefore, improving Vietnamese language skills is considered a vital and ongoing task throughout the training process at all educational institutions nationwide.

Mr. Phan Anh Son - President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations, delivered a speech at the Final Round of the competition.

“Teaching and learning Vietnamese is not just about language instruction and equipping students with tools to acquire knowledge, but also about promoting culture, spreading national identity, and enhancing intercultural communication skills for international students studying in Vietnam in particular, and foreigners and those who love the Vietnamese language and culture in general,” Deputy Minister Nguyen Van Phuc shared, while expressing his belief that, through the competition, international students, Vietnamese students, and teachers will have another forum to exchange expertise and culture, nurturing and fostering friendship based on the common language, Vietnamese.
As the host institution for both the Southern Regional Round and the National Finals, Associate Professor Dr. Ngo Thi Phuong Lan - Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, shared: The Vietnamese language and culture are increasingly asserting their position on the international stage, with more and more foreigners falling in love with, learning about, and studying them. Vietnamese has also become one of the foreign languages ​​taught in many educational institutions in many countries and territories around the world.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ngo Thi Phuong Lan - Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City

The University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, has a history of over 25 years of training. The number of students enrolling in courses reaches over 2,500 each year. It is also considered one of the most reputable institutions for teaching Vietnamese to foreigners in the South of Vietnam today.
"We hope that, through this event, we will connect and cooperate even better not only in Vietnamese public speaking competitions but also in other aspects related to training, scientific research, and community service," Associate Professor Ngo Thi Phuong Lan expressed.

Gain a deep understanding and immerse yourself in Vietnamese culture.

2023 marked the first time the Ministry of Education and Training organized the Vietnamese Public Speaking Contest for international students nationwide. The aim was to create a platform for all international students in Vietnam to interact, compete in their studies, motivate the innovation of teaching methods and improve the quality of Vietnamese language training, and contribute to promoting Vietnamese education and culture to the international community.

The 12 finalist teams showcased their understanding and love for Vietnam and its people through each of their performances.

Launched in August 2023, the competition consisted of three preliminary rounds held in the North, Central, and South regions, with over 600 international students from 15 countries studying at 63 educational institutions in Vietnam registering to participate. Twelve teams, representing 12 educational institutions and comprising students from Laos, Cambodia, South Korea, Japan, China, France, and Australia, advanced from the 63 registered teams to compete in the national final round.
With the theme "Vietnam in My Heart," in the preliminary round, contestants mainly explored the unique cultural characteristics of Vietnam, its scenic spots, attractive destinations, solidarity and friendship, and offered very interesting perspectives on their first experiences in Vietnam. The entries used a rich vocabulary, appropriate and engaging expression, evoking many emotions and leaving a positive impression on the viewers.

Korean students performing a scene from the Vietnamese traditional opera "The Drum of Me Linh" evoke emotion.

Each entry was a unique combination of presentation, storytelling, drama, poetry recitation, folk song reading, and singing in Vietnamese, creating incredibly impressive and colorful performances. The contestants not only demonstrated fluent Vietnamese but also possessed a deep understanding of Vietnam and its people, truly immersing themselves in Vietnamese culture.
In the public speaking competition, each team selected 2-3 main speakers. Within a time limit of 7 minutes for each presentation, the teams not only showcased polished content but also elaborate and engaging illustrations. Beautiful images of Vietnam were presented to the public, fostering love for the homeland, friendship, and solidarity among nations and peoples.

Mr. Pham Quang Hung, Director of the Department of International Cooperation (Ministry of Education and Training), and the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, presented flags and flowers to congratulate the two teams that won second prize.

With 12 outstanding performances in the Final round, the Judging Panel selected the team from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University, Hanoi to award the First Prize.

Two second prizes were awarded to teams from the University of Education - Thai Nguyen University and Cuu Long University.

The delegates took a commemorative photo with the 12 finalist teams.

The three teams that won third prize were Vinh University of Technology and Education, Hanoi University, and the University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City.
Six Consolation Prizes were awarded to Vinh Medical University, Friendship School 80, University of Foreign Languages ​​- Da Nang University, University of Education - Da Nang University, Kien Giang University, and Ho Chi Minh City University of Education.

The press reported on the event.:
Tuoi Tre Online Newspaper:A group of international students from 8 countries won first prize in the Vietnamese speaking competition.