Vietnamese people from Europe return home to perform at Hanoi Opera House (Photo: VOV5)

Currently, more than 5.3 million Vietnamese people are living in more than 130 countries and territories around the world. Although living far away from Vietnam, Overseas Vietnamese have preserved their cultural identity and Vietnamese language.

Director of VOVWorld Nguyen Tien Long said he hopes the contest will promote Vietnam’s traditional culture and connect the Vietnamese communities abroad with their homeland.

“Learning and singing folk songs is useful for improving the mother tongue. The loving, smooth, rustic and sincere melodies of folk songs will quietly transform the perception and feelings of each Vietnamese living far from home towards their original culture and homeland. VOVWorld is organizing this folk song contest for Vietnamese expatriates around the world,” said Mr. Long.

Entries need to be saved as audio or video files, which are Vietnamese folk songs, old folk songs, and newly-adapted folk songs. Entries can be sent from May 15, 2021 to July 31, 2021 to the email address vietkieuvov@gmail.com; or to Folk Song Contest on VOVWorld, the Voice of Vietnam, 45 Ba Trieu Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi. The selected works will be posted on the website vovworld.vn and Facebook fanpage VOV5 Media for the audience to vote.

The final round and award ceremony will be held on the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Overseas Vietnamese Section on August 16, 2021. The award ceremony will be broadcast online on vovworld.vn.