[Photos] Foreign Ambassadors Experience Vietnamese Tet
The traditional Tet (Lunar New Year) festival, imbued with Vietnamese identity, has left an indelible mark on the hearts of foreign diplomats in Vietnam.
Norwegian and Bristish diplomats experienced some customs during the Lunar New Year in Vietnam.
![]() |
| Norwegian Ambassador to Vietnam Hilde Solbakken and her family ask for calligraphy in Vietnamese in Van Mieu Quoc Tu Giam or Temple of Literature. Photo: VNA |
![]() |
| The tradition of collecting letters has become part of Vietnamese culture whenever the Lunar New Year arrives. Photo: VNA |
![]() |
| The Norwegian Ambassador asks for “Xanh” (green) calligraphy, which symbolises hope for peace in the world, especially in the context of formidable challenges around the globe. Photo: VNA |
![]() |
| Through the calligraphy, the Ambassador expects that Vietnam and Norway will see further cooperation in the fields of green economy, the circular economy, and energy transition. Photo: VNA |
![]() |
| She also asks for “Hanh Phuc” (Happiness) calligraphy to have happiness year-round. Photo: VNA |
![]() |
| Decorating home with apricot blossoms for Tet. Source: Norwegian Embassy in Hanoi |
![]() |
| This will be the first Tet in Vietnam for her and family. Source: Norwegian Embassy in Hanoi |
![]() |
| "Tet is a time for peace and love, and I wish the Vietnamese people a joyful and relaxing Tet with the people they love, savouring traditional foods and reflecting on achievements in the past year and goals for the next. I know the setence 'Chúc mừng Năm mới' in Vietnamese. But I am also practicing a longer sentence 'I wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous year of the cat!' the ambassador shared with the World and Vietnam Report. |
![]() |
| Bristish Ambassador to Vietnam Iain Frew also embraced the pre-Tet spirit. Source: Bristish embassy in Vietnam |
![]() |
| He learns how to make Banh Chung or squared sticky rice cake. Source: Bristish embassy in Vietnam |
![]() |
| Dressed in ao dai, British Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Emily Hamblin and members of the consulate came to visit the Vietnamese New Year Festival at the Thanh Nien Cultural House. Source: British Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City. |
![]() |
| She was appointed as British Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City on September 22, 2020, as one of the youngest Consul General among foreign diplomats working in Ho Chi Minh City. Source: British Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City. |
![]() |
| The British Consul General is very fond of Vietnamese calligraphy writing. Source: British Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City. |
![]() |
| Accompanying Emily on her spring trip was British Deputy Consul General - Sam Wood. Source: British Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City. |
![]() |
| He also enjoyed the colorful and bustling scene of the Vietnamese Lunar New Year Festival, besides the traditional calligraphy writing. Source: British Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City. |
| Hai Phong: Discover The Best Destinations For Taking Instagrammable Tet Photos At the end of the year, when the Tet holiday in Vietnam is coming close, Hai Phong, “the city of red phoenix flowers” is bustling ... |
| Vietnamese Culture Shines in France On January 14, the Association for the Promotion of Vietnamese Culture (APCV) organized a special cultural and artistic program in Paris. This is one of ... |
| How To Celebrate Tet Like A Vietnamese: A Helpful Guide for Expats Tet is a special occasion for Vietnamese and preparing for the holiday is even more important than the holiday itself. |
Recommended
Friendship
People-to-People Diplomacy: Change to Reach Further
Spring is always a season of new beginnings and hope. With a 75-year tradition as its foundation, under the leadership of the Party, the State, and the Viet Nam Fatherland Front, and with the determination of the entire system, Viet Nam’s people-to-people diplomacy possesses all the necessary conditions to undertake a strong transformation: changing to elevate capacity, changing to adapt, changing to proactively open new spaces for cooperation, and to reach further in its mission of connecting the people of Viet Nam with peoples around the world.
February 17, 2026 | 07:05
Focus
Outstanding Highlights of Viet Nam’s People-to-People Diplomacy in 2025
The year 2025 marked a dynamic and effective period for Viet Nam’s people-to-people diplomacy. Amid complex developments in the global and regional landscape, the activities of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) were implemented with clear innovations in mindset, approaches, content, and methods. These efforts contributed to expanding cooperation and spreading Viet Nam’s values of peace and humanity to the international community, affirming its role as a pillar of Viet Nam’s comprehensive and modern diplomacy.
February 16, 2026 | 19:19
Friendship
Hanoi Union of Friendship Organizations: Spreading Values of Peace in Heart of Capital
The Hanoi Union of Friendship Organizations has identified 2026 as a pivotal year to further enhance the effectiveness of people-to-people diplomacy, consolidate the foundation of peace, strengthen friendship exchanges, and expand international cooperation, thereby making practical contributions to the capital’s integration and sustainable development.
February 16, 2026 | 09:51
Friendship
G4 Ambassadors to Vietnam Extend Greetings for the New Year of the Horse
Ahead of the Lunar New Year, the Year of the Horse, Ambassadors Ambasadors of Canada, New Zealand, Norway, and Switzerland (G4) to Vietnam extended their New Year’s greetings to the people of Vietnam through a video.
February 12, 2026 | 09:47
Friendship
Promoting People-to-People Cooperation on the Occasion of the 55th Anniversary of Vietnam-Chile Relations
On February 10 in Hanoi, President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) Phan Anh Son received Ambassador of Chile to Vietnam Nasly Isabel Bernal Prado, who paid a courtesy call upon assuming her post in Vietnam.
February 12, 2026 | 09:15
Focus
Seminar on “The Scientific Foundations of People-to-People Diplomacy in the World”
Within the framework of the national-level research project entitled “Studying people-to-people diplomacy in the world in the new context and proposing solutions for Vietnam,” the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations hosted a scientific seminar in Hanoi on February 11 under the theme “The scientific foundations of people-to-people diplomacy in the world.”
February 12, 2026 | 08:10
Friendship
Vietnam-Canada Friendship Meeting: Advancing Comprehensive Cooperation through People-to-People Diplomacy
On February 9 in Hanoi, the Vietnam-Canada Friendship Get-together titled “Vietnam-Canada Comprehensive Partnership: A Way Forward” took place. The event was jointly organized by the Vietnam-Canada Friendship Association and the Canada-Vietnam Association with the aim of strengthening community connections, promoting multi-sectoral cooperation, and further deepening the friendship between the peoples of the two countries.
February 11, 2026 | 12:27
Friendship
Seminar in Cuba Commemorates the 60th Anniversary of Fidel Castro’s Historic Statement on Vietnam
On February 5, a special seminar was held at the University of Havana (Cuba) to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the historic statement by Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro: “For Vietnam, Cuba is ready to shed even its own blood.” The seminar was jointly organized by the Embassy of Vietnam in Cuba, the Ho Chi Minh Vietnam Studies Department (University of Havana), the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP), and the Cuba-Vietnam Friendship Association.
February 10, 2026 | 16:09














