Vietnamese Culture Follows "Blue Beret" Soldier to African Friends

Incorporating cultural promotion in each activity

The "blue beret" soldier takes advantage of every activity with local people to introduce the beauties and characteristics of Vietnamese culture.

Soldiers of Field Hospital Level 2 No. 3 spread Vietnamese people's tree planting culture to international friends. (Photo: Nguyen A)

In the early days of the last Lunar New Year, officials and soldiers of Field Hospital Level 2 No. 3 planted trees around the base. Under the hands of the Vietnamese "blue beret" soldier, the green color of trees gradually covered South Sudan's arid lands.

Lieutenant Colonel Pham Tan Phong, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Peacekeeping Department and Commander of the Vietnamese Peacekeeping Forces in South Sudan, said: “Tree planting is a meaningful activity that contributes to building and improving hospital staff's living environment, and at the same time spreading Ho Chi Minh's thought Vietnamese tree planting culture to international friends. Each green sprout stands for the hope for a bright future for South Sudan and the whole world."

In February 2022, Field Hospital Level 2 No. 3 in South Sudan collaborated with the Ghana police service FPU to hold the first volunteer trip of the year to Bentiu Central Prison. The hospital's Board of Directors chose Bentiu Central Prison as the starting point for their 2022 charity program.

"Blue beret" soliders' volunteer program has contributed to spreading the Vietnamese traditional cultural values to the local people. (Photo: Nguyen A)

The hospital's delegation visited and donated food and essential supplies such as books, pens, rice, milk, footballs, and volleyballs. The doctors offered medical examinations and treatments, counseling, giving medicines and medical equipment to prison staff and inmates.

The visit showed Vietnamese people's friendliness and benevolence and spread Vietnamese traditional cultural values to the local people. Lieutenant Colonel Trinh My Hoa, Director of Field Hospital Level 2 No. 3, said: “The hospital's staff wish to accompany units of UNMISS mission to improve living conditions for Bentiu Central Prison so that no one is left behind, even foreigners.”

In the joyful and warm atmosphere of a cultural exchange held by Field Hospital Level 2 No. 3 in March 2022, before they completed their mission at the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in In South Sudan, many guests from all over the world enjoyed a "music party" imbued with Vietnamese cultural and ethnic identity. At the event, guests were introduced to the gentle ao dai in the dance "My country Vietnam," "lien anh" (gentlemen) and "lien chi" (ladies) in "ao tu than" (four-piece clothes) and "non quai thao" (flat palm hats) and performing traditional dance named "Bailing Water by the Communal House," together with the upbeat "Bong bong bang bang" dance in traditional "ba ba" shirts.

Responding to international environment day and promoting the spirit of "Young generation following Uncle Ho's words," Field hospital level 2 no. 4 held a program named "Field hospital level 2 no. 4 staff join hands for the global environment" in Bentiu (South Sudan) in June 2022. The activity contributed to improving the landscape and creating a healthy living environment for the hospital staff and also showed their love for nature and willingness to protect the environment. The event also promoted the image of Vietnamese people to international friends. Therefore, the officers and soldiers chose to wear uniforms with the colors of the Vietnamese flag - as red flames of enthusiasm and connection.

International friends experience Vietnamese traditional New Year's culinary culture introduced by "blue beret" soldiers. (Photo: Tien Phuc)

Promoting the image of a peace-loving country and people

In May 2014, the first two Vietnamese military officers departed for South Sudan to join the United Nations peacekeeping mission in South Sudan as liaison officers. Since then, Vietnam has sent hundreds of soldiers to the mission, affirming the capacity of Vietnamese "blue beret" soldiers in the UN peacekeeping force.

Following in the footsteps of the "blue beret" soldiers, the cultural beauties of Vietnam become closer to African people. Amidst the remoteness of space, among the cultural differences, the Vietnamese national flag shining bright red, the ao dai of peaceful blue, the songs imbued with love, and the food of dynamics flavors shine in the sunny and windy land of Africa to become cultural bridges of friendship and solidarity.

According to General Phan Van Giang, Politburo member, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission, and Minister of National Defense: "When performing your tasks, officers and soldiers in UN peacekeeping mission have to maintain solidarity, unity, determination to overcome all difficulties, strive to rise above challenges to accomplish the assigned tasks, be a true "peace envoy," a vivid symbol of humanism, international solidarity, and the noble qualities of Uncle Ho's army in the new era and in the multi-national and cultural UN environment."

Major General, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Hong Quan - former Former Deputy Director of the National Defense Strategy Institute said Vietnamese "blue beret" soldiers not only successfully completed their assigned professional tasks but also left an impression of humane and cohesion in the local people.

At the Dispatch Ceremony of Military Engineers 1 and Field Hospital Level 2 No. 4, who set out to undertake UN peacekeeping mission in April 2022, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc emphasized: “Due to the spirit of dedication, responsibility, and devotion of the Vietnamese "blue beret" soldiers, the image of Vietnam shines even more brightly as a peace-loving country and people, yearning for a prosperous and developed community in the eyes of international friends”.

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