The event, titled “Graceful Middle-aged Ao Dai”, was organised by the Protocol Committee of the Association of Vietnamese Overseas in the Macao Special Administrative Region (China).

It featured the participation of representatives of local social organisations, Vietnamese community groups, 32 contestants, and many Vietnamese residents living and working in Macau.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Ngo Minh Chu, a member of the organising committee, said the event is designed to reinforce solidarity among Vietnamese people from different regions who are living and working in Macau as a contribution to the building of a united and supportive community.

On the occasion, she extended greetings to Vietnamese women and paid tribute to Vietnamese Heroic Mothers, wishing them good health, happiness and peace with their families.

She said the community always remembers the sacrifices of generations of Vietnamese women who devoted their youth and courage to the struggle for national independence and peace.

The Vietnamese community in Macau, she added, will continue strengthening unity and mutual support while maintaining close ties with the homeland and contributing to the country’s development.

Sharing more about the event, Nguyen Thi Hue, head of the organising committee, said the contest, held for the first time in Macau, was intended to honour the beauty of Vietnam’s traditional costume.

Every country has its own traditional attire that reflects cultural identity and national pride, she said, adding that the Ao dai represents the grace, elegance and resilience of Vietnamese women.

Through the event, the organisers hope to celebrate International Women’s Day while promoting the beauty of Vietnam’s traditional costume to a wider audience.

Duong Trung Duc, chairman of the Association of Vietnamese Overseas in Macau, said the Ao dai and cultural performances at the event would help introduce Vietnamese traditions to local residents and international audiences.

Invited as a member of the judging panel, Rita Santos, President of the Macau Civil Servants Association, said she was impressed by the graceful and elegant beauty of the Vietnamese Ao dai. She noted that she had purchased several Ao dai herself to wear during exchanges with the Vietnamese community in Macau.

According to Santos, Vietnam and the Vietnamese community in Macau could organise more cultural promotion activities to share the beauty of the Ao dai and Vietnamese culture not only in Macau but also across the region and Asia. Such exchanges could also support cooperation in tourism, economic activities and trade.

She added that the Vietnamese community in Macau plays an active role as a bridge promoting cultural understanding between the two sides, thus creating favourable conditions for deeper cooperation and exchanges.

From another perspective, Leong Kwok Tung, a freelance photographer from Macau, said he had heard about the beauty of the Vietnamese Ao dai before and was impressed to see the performances in person.

He said the event was a presentation of traditional costume and an opportunity for local residents to better understand Vietnamese culture.

At the end of the programme, the organising committee presented several awards, including Audience Favourite, Best Interview Performance, Most Impressive Ao Dai, and Best Performance Style.

Journey to bring Vietnam’s Ao dai to global fashion stage

VOV.VN - Representatives of the Vietnamese community in the United Kingdom, international partners, journalists and audiences interested in Vietnamese culture gathered in central London on March 8 to hear about the Ao Dai Fashion Week project.