Traditional long dress - cultural bridge between Vietnam and Laos

This meaningful event also marks the first practical activity by the Vietnamese community in Laos responding to the National Great Solidarity Day launched by the Vietnam Fatherland Front.

Those attending the program were Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Minh Tam and his spouse; representatives of agencies adjunct to the Embassy; representatives of of the Association of Former Lao Students in Vietnam; Vietnamese and Lao associations and enterprises; alongside numerous club members, women, and community members.

Delivering the opening remarks, Bien Thi Ky, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Ao Dai Heritage Club in Laos, reviewed the glorious historical traditions of Vietnamese women through the eight golden words "Heroic, Unindomitable, Loyal, and Capable" bestowed by beloved President Ho Chi Minh.

She affirmed that wherever they reside, Vietnamese women consistently uphold their fortitude, intellect, and compassion, actively nurturing family happiness and making vital contributions to the development of their homeland. For the Vietnamese community in Laos, women continuously act as the core force in preserving the Vietnamese language, customs, and traditional family lifestyles, while deeply integrating and maintaining close ties with the friendly nation of Laos.

Ky added that the Vietnam Ao Dai Heritage Club in Laos was established with the desire to connect those who cherish the Ao dai, honor and spread the beauty of traditional national attire in the Land of a Million Elephants, while creating a shared home for members to assist one another in work and life, thereby contributing to cultivating the special friendship between Vietnam and Laos.

Speaking in congratulations at the ceremony, Ambassador Nguyen Minh Tam praised the initiative of the Vietnam Ao Dai Heritage Club in Laos in organizing an event steeped in cultural imprints.

The Ambassador emphasized that throughout the nation's history of nation-building and defence, Vietnamese women have consistently made great contributions.

Within the Vietnamese community in Laos, mothers and sisters play an indispensable role in building prosperous families, preserving family traditions, engaging in labor and business, conducting charity work, and reinforcing bonds of affection with the local populace.

Ambassador Nguyen Minh Tam expressed expectation that in the coming period, the club will maintain its strengths, linking the activities of the ao dai with the preservation of the Vietnamese language and cultural promotion; focusing on attracting the younger generation and Lao women to participate, thereby standing as a solid bridge to further tighten the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation, and strategic cohesion between Vietnam and Laos.

On behalf of the Association of Former Lao Students in Vietnam, Sisouk Vongvichit, former Lao Deputy Minister of Education and Sports, expressed profound emotion and extended her best wishes to Vietnamese mothers, sisters, and women on the occasion of October 20. She emotionally noted: "We, the children of Laos, grew up in the loving embrace of Vietnam. The country of Laos gave us our bloodline, but it is Vietnamese women who provided us with the sweet milk of human warmth and compassion. Those profound contributions are something former Lao students will never forget for the rest of our lives."

One of the most emotional and meaningful highlights of the program was the handover ceremony presenting 50 Ao dai sets to female members of the Association of Former Lao Students in Vietnam. The gifts embody deep affection, recalling cherished memories of Lao friends who spent years attached to the country and people of Vietnam, thereby reinforcing their steadfast bond with their second homeland.

The commemorative program concluded with vibrant cultural performances praising the homeland, women, and the evergreen, enduring special friendship between Vietnam and Laos, leaving a lasting impression on delegates and numerous community members in attendance.

Vietnamese Ao Dai bridges cultural ties between Vietnam and Singapore

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