The Vietnamese engineering soldiers joining the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei have held various activities to celebrate the 94th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Tet (Lunar New Year) festival, VNA reported.

A banh chung (square glutinous rice cake) making contest was organized, with materials including dong leaves, white glutinous rice and pork brought from Vietnam.

The Vietnamese engineering soldiers in Abyei make chung cake, with materials brought from Vietnam. Photo courtesy of the Vietnamese military engineering unit

While waiting for Tet decorations to be shipped from Vietnam, officers and employees of the Engineering Team took advantage of reusable materials to decorate the living rooms as well as common rooms of the detachments. The branches of African trees are cleverly used by Vietnamese soldiers to decorate them into peach and apricot branches to welcome Tet.

Besides, the Vietnamese blue-beret soldiers had a friendly volleyball match with local residents, with several Nigerian servicemen being the referees. They then presented the foreign friends several gifts, and invited them to try traditional dishes of Vietnam.

The Vietnamese engineering soldiers in Abyei decorate the room to welcome spring. Photo courtesy of the Vietnamese military engineering unit

In the coming days, the sappers will make Tet decorations at the yard of the military engineering unit, while organizing several art performances and folk games such as tug-of-war, blind man’s buff, and stick pushing to popularise Vietnamese culture among foreigners.

According to Major Nguyen Mau Vu, political commissar of the engineering unit, along with preparing for a warm Tet, the soldiers have undergone training to ensure security and safety for the military base amidst the complicated and unprecedented developments in Abyei.

Preparing to celebrate Tet in Abyei. Photo courtesy of the Vietnamese military engineering unit

In particular, starting from 2024, the Lunar New Year has been recognized by the United Nations as an official holiday. This is a very meaningful mark for the Vietnamese force, who often celebrate Tet away from the Fatherland.

Therefore, during the 2024 Giap Thin Tet holiday, they have built a specific and detailed plan for each activity such as the banh chung wrapping contest, spring decoration contest, erecting Neu pole (a tall bamboo pole with red garment strips used to ward off evil spirits during the lunar New Year), and organizing folk games, cooking competitions to welcome spring.

Additionally, the unit built training plans to protect the security and safety of the base, preparing to welcome a happy, united, and warm Tet alongside the international friends they invite to this Tet holiday, said Vu.

The Vietnamese engineering soldiers in Abyei organized a volleyball exchange with the local people of Abyei. Photo courtesy of the Vietnamese military engineering unit

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