The contest took place on September 25 at the University of Education - The University of Da Nang and was jointly organized by the Da Nang Union of Friendship Organizations, the Da Nang Peace Committee, the university and relevant agencies. The seven teams competing in the final round comprised contestants from Laos, China, Japan, Cambodia and other countries who are studying at educational institutions in Da Nang, Hue, Quang Tri and Ho Chi Minh City.

The final round of the National Vietnamese-language public speaking contest for foreigners - Da Nang 2026. (Photo: Da Nang Union of Friendship Organizations)

The teams competed in two sections: Vietnamese language proficiency and public speaking. In the Vietnamese language proficiency section, the teams answered multiple-choice questions covering vocabulary, grammar, phonetics, spelling, idioms, proverbs, listening comprehension, reading comprehension and the use of Vietnamese in communication situations. They were also tested on their knowledge of Vietnamese culture, including history, geography, customs, traditions, festivals, cuisine, arts and scenic attractions. In the public speaking section, contestants presented their topics in Vietnamese and answered questions from the judging panel.

Manosing Teryong, a Lao contestant from HueVietnamese College, chose to tell the story of the 10 female youth volunteers who sacrificed their lives at Dong Loc Junction.

The team from Ho Chi Minh City Open University, comprising contestants from Cambodia and Laos, chose traditional markets as a way to introduce the cultures of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, from cuisine and daily activities at markets to the cultural characteristics of communities along the Mekong River.

The Organizing Committee presents awards to teams participating in the final round of the National Vietnamese-language public speaking contest for foreigners - Da Nang 2026. (Photo: Da Nang Union of Friendship Organizations)

Lao students from the University of Education - The University of Da Nang brought the atmosphere of the Mid-Autumn Festival to their performance. Through the stories of Chu Cuoi and Chi Hang, the contestants recounted their early days learning Vietnamese, their worries about mispronouncing words, their hesitation when communicating and the Mid-Autumn Festivals they spent away from their families. Their performance also highlighted similarities between Vietnam’s Mid-Autumn Festival and Laos’ Festival of Lights.

Phan Thi Thuy, Vice President of the Da Nang Union of Friendship Organizations and Head of the Contest Organizing Committee, said that learning Vietnamese is by no means easy. However, overcoming the language barrier, the contestants turned Vietnamese into a means of telling very personal stories about Da Nang; their aspirations for the internationalization of the Vietnamese language; the connections and cultural exchanges among the three Indochinese countries; and the solidarity and alliance in combat on a common front between the two brotherly peoples of Vietnam and Laos. According to her, each presentation, every gesture on stage and every response given by the students demonstrated their sense of responsibility, seriousness, enthusiasm for learning Vietnamese, and in-depth study of Vietnam’s history and culture.

As a result, Ho Chi Minh City Open University won First Prize, while Hue College won Second Prize. Two Third Prizes went to the University of Education - The University of Da Nang and the University of Foreign Languages - The University of Hue. Three Consolation Prizes were awarded to the University of Economics - The University of Da Nang, the University of Foreign Languages - The University of Da Nang and Quang Binh University. The award for Best Vietnamese Language Proficiency went to Ho Chi Minh City Open University, while the award for Most impressive public speaking performance went to Hue College.

Vietnamese and Korean Students Explore Mid-Autumn Traditions Together Beyond learning about cultural traditions, the programme gave students an opportunity to communicate with one another, practise the languages they are studying and gain a deeper understanding of each other’s cultures.

Vietnamese Oratory for Young Generation in RoK The final round of the 2026 First Vietnamese Oratory Contest recently took place in Seoul, the Republic of Korea (RoK), providing a platform for the younger generation to use Vietnamese through stories about their families, Vietnamese culture, Viet Nam-RoK experiences, and their dreams.