The Ladies of All Nations International Vietnam - United Kingdom introduces Tet to London schools

DNHN - The Ladies of All Nations International Vietnam - United Kingdom (LOANI VN-UK) recently teamed up with Ark Oval Primary Academy in Croydon, London, to host a “Lunar New Year Celebration”.

Ark Oval Primary Academy is one of the top schools in Croydon, with a history of over 150 years and 67 languages spoken by its students and teachers from 40 different countries. This is the second year that Ark Oval Primary Academy has held a Lunar New Year celebration to showcase the diversity of cultures and celebrate the unique differences between traditional festivals to the 600 students, teachers and hundreds of parents who were invited to attend. Everyone wore red, gold and yellow - the colours that symbolise luck and prosperity during Tet.

Dr Thoai Nguyen - Vice President of the Ladies of All Nations International Vietnam - United Kingdom (LOANI VN-UK) and founder of the Vietnam International Awards - opened the event with a heartfelt thank you to the headteacher, teachers, students and parents who attended the event to introduce Vietnamese Tet culture as part of the Lunar New Year Celebration. He also presented headteacher Shiraz Khan with a Desirable Spring gift, a paper box decorated with the image of a Dragon containing various products such as vermicelli, pho and multicoloured noodles.

Designer Anna Hoang, a LOANI VN-UK Youth Ambassador, and the British Born Vietnamese Talents group gave a presentation on the traditional Vietnamese Ao dai, the characteristics of Vietnamese Tet culture, including apricot and peach blossom, banh chung, lucky money and New Year greetings.

The students took part in interactive games, and quizzes, clapping and dancing to the music of the song "Don Xuan" on stage, with cheerful Tet music, helping to spread the beauty of Vietnamese Tet culture to their international friends.

Dr Nguyen Nhu Thoai and Anna Hoang taught the students how to say Tet greetings in Vietnamese, which they found very endearing. They also learned about how to make banh chung, from choosing the ingredients to wrapping and cooking the delicious bánh chưng over a wood fire for 10-12 hours, which amazed the students. The students also listened attentively to a presentation on how Vietnamese people decorate their homes for Tet and the custom of giving lucky money to children at the beginning of the year and asked many lovely questions.

On 17 February, Anna Hoang’s Ao dai Love Collection brand with the support of Dr Nguyen Nhu Thoai and members of the LOANI VN-UK organisation, successfully presented a collection of Vietnamese Tet Ao dai at London Fashion Week, which was highly praised by the international media as “a cultural adventure on the catwalk”.

The Vietnamese Tet Ao dai Love Collection unfolded like a visual journey across Vietnam, with 28 meticulously crafted designs for both adults and children. Each piece was infused with traditional Tet motifs, telling stories of Vietnam’s rich cultural tapestry and universal themes of love and hope. Anna’s designs are not just clothes; they are bridges connecting cultures, bringing British audiences closer to the heart of Vietnam. The reception to the collection was more than applause; it sparked genuine curiosity among many British audience members, who expressed their eagerness to experience Vietnam first-hand, captivated by the culture and beauty showcased on the catwalk.

It is a source of great pride that, thanks to the efforts of dedicated individuals and organisations within the Vietnamese community across the UK, Vietnamese Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) has gradually become better known in the UK over the years, continuing to preserve and spread the traditional beauty of Vietnamese culture for future generations.

Tran Tung