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State
President Nguyễn Mình Triết (sitting, right) and an elder conduct the rite of freeing
carps, Hà Nội, February 6. 2010 – Photo: VietNamNet |
The program was jointly
held by the State Commission for Overseas Vietnamese (SCOV), Hà Nội People’s
Committee, Việt Nam Television and some competent agencies in Hà Nội to welcome
expatriate Vietnamese who go home for the traditional Lunar New Year Festival.
Attending the event,
State President Nguyễn Minh Triết said that, for Vietnamese people, “the spring
is the season of family reunification.”
He hailed the overseas
Vietnamese community for their active role in business, health, education and
poverty reducing activities in the homeland last year.
“The Party and State always respect contributions
of overseas Vietnamese and consider this community an indispensable component
of the Vietnamese nation,” the President reaffirmed.
President Triết took the occasion to ask expatriate Vietnamese to engage
deeper in the cause of national construction.
“Whatever
you do to make the country powerful, our people prosperous, our society equal,
democratic and civilized, will be acknowledged by the Party, State and people,”
said President Triết.
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Many
impressive art performances in the Motherland Spring program, Hà Nội, February
6, 2010 - Photo: VGP/Thu Cúc |
Earlier, in the afternoon, at the vestige site of the Thăng Long Imperial
Citadel, overseas Vietnamese enjoyed some folk festivals and traditional rites,
including an incense-offering ceremony in memory of emperors of the Lý,
Trần and Lê Dynasties.
The
special cultural event drew the participation of about 1,000 expatriate
Vietnamese and nearly 10,000 visitors.
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Incense-offering
ceremony in memory of emperors of the Lý, Trần and Lê Dynasties, Hà Nội, February 6, 2010 -
Photo: VietNamNet |
According to Deputy FM Nguyễn Thanh Sơn, SCOV Director, the
overseas Vietnamese community has made great efforts to maintain, preserve and
develop national traditions.
Last year, nearly 900 representatives
from 52 countries and territories attended the 1st Conference of
Overseas Vietnamese held in Hà Nội.
By Hoàng Phương