Hanoi (VNA) – The young overseas Vietnamese (OVs) attending the Vietnam Summer Camp 2024 have expressed their enthusiasm when returning and having a chance to learn more about the homeland’s history and culture.

Expressing her interest in language and culture, Nguyen Khue An, 16, from the UK said she used to participate in a number of cultural exchanges in many countries and learn new languages. However, nothing is better than connecting with peers from around the world who share the same Vietnamese origin that her parents and grandparents often talk about, and being able to explore the homeland’s unique and diverse culture.

An added that this is a chance for her to visit her ancestors’ hometown, practise the Vietnamese language, and improve her knowledge about the country’s history and culture.

She is also able to make new friends and learn more about the diverse landscapes and cuisine of each destination they will set foot in, An went on, noting that she will introduce the Vietnamese culture to the community where she lives in after the camp.

The expatriate expressed her hope that after the programme, young OVs will form a global Vietnam Summer Camp network to jointly carry out community activities benefiting the homeland, assist OV communities, especially young people, around the world, hold cultural exchanges, and help organise future summer camps.

Sharing the same feeling, Tran Yen Vy, a young OV from Romania, said this is the fifth time she has come back to Vietnam. She could see the homeland’s changes every time she returned but in her eyes, its serene beauty remains intact.

She shared that her family still observes Vietnamese traditional festivals along with traditional practices, especially the Lunar New Year.

Vy said she hopes that by taking part in the Summer Camp, she can make the acquaintance of many OV and domestic peers, learn the Vietnamese language, taste good dishes, and visit scenic landscapes as well as tangible and tangible cultural heritage in the homeland.

This is also an occasion for her to better knowledge about the country’s glorious history and express gratitude to the heroes, martyrs, and former generations who laid down their lives for the sake of the nation, she continued.

The Vietnam Summer Camp is an annual programme held by the State Committee for OV Affairs under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in coordination with relevant agencies. It aims to create conditions for young OVs around the world to return to improve their understanding of the homeland’s traditions, culture, and history and also strengthen solidarity.

Nearly 3,000 young people have participated in the programme since it was first organised in 2004, according to Vice Chairman of the State Committee for OV Affairs Nguyen Manh Dong.

This year, the Vietnam Summer Camp attracts 120 outstanding young OVs from 28 countries and territories. It is taking place from July 14 to 29 across various locations in northern, central, and southern Vietnam, including Hanoi, Phu Tho, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien-Hue, Binh Dinh, Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan, and Ho Chi Minh City.

It features a wide range of activities, including paying homage to ancestors and fallen heroes, engaging in cultural exchanges with the domestic youth, learning about the Vietnamese history, culture and traditions, and exploring scenic landscapes and cultural heritage sites.

Sea and island sovereignty is also a focus of the camp, with highlights including a visit to the Hoang Sa exhibition house in the central city of Da Nang, and an interaction with students from the Vietnam Naval Academy in the south-central province of Khanh Hoa, among others./.