(VOVworld) - The annual “Xuan Que Huong” (Homeland Spring) program, a run-up to the Lunar New Year festival, was held in Hanoi on Sunday a string of cultural activities for overseas Vietnamese. President Truong Tan Sang joined Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung, and representatives of the diplomatic corps, international organizations, and OVs. Addressing the program, the President highlighted Vietnam’s major achievements and pointed out the significant contributions to these achievements made by Vietnamese abroad. He noted that OVs have built a united community while integrating into their host countries. Sang said 2016 is an important year, as it is the first year of realizing the 12^th National Party Congress’s Resolution and the Socio-Economic Development Plan for 2016-2020, adding that the election of deputies to the 14^th National Assembly will take place this year. Sang called on Vietnamese at home and abroad to unite and work harder for the cause of national construction and defense and make Vietnam a prosperous country.