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The festival, held on October 5, featured participation from communities of African nations. Among the highlights was the Vietnamese cultural booth, which left a lasting impression on attendees and played a key role in promoting Vietnam's image and people to an international audience.

Vietnamese booth at the festival. (Photo: Vietnam Business Association in Belgium)

With the theme "Everyone is an Actor," this year’s festival encouraged self-expression, fostering a lively and creative environment. The Vietnamese booth embraced this theme to showcase the country's rich and diverse cultural heritage.

The centerpiece of the booth was the traditional Vietnamese family meal, which has the meaning of sharing food and is a symbol of familial love and connection. For many overseas Vietnamese, this meal evoked memories of home and family, offering visitors a glimpse into the warmth and intimacy of a Vietnamese household.

The booth also featured handicrafts made from natural, environmentally friendly materials, showcasing Vietnam’s commitment to sustainability and its creative spirit.

Traditional attire, including the ao dai, ao tu than (four-part dress), and various ethnic costumes, added a vibrant touch of Vietnamese tradition. In addition, visitors could explore Vietnamese paintings and books displayed at the booth, further enriching the cultural experience.

For many first-time visitors, this was their introduction to Vietnamese culture. Under the guidance of expert chefs, they can try preparing signature Vietnamese dishes. Spring rolls and fresh rolls, two iconic dishes, were made on-site and enthusiastically enjoyed by attendees, particularly families and children.

The booth also offered a culinary journey through Vietnamese coffee and tea, creating a delightful cultural connection that brought people together.

The booth offers a culinary journey through Vietnamese coffee and tea. (Photo: Vietnam Business Association in Belgium)

The Hakuna Matata Festival highlighted the importance of coexistence for sustainable development and peace, emphasizing culture as a bridge for mutual respect and understanding.

The Vietnamese booth embodied these values, offering experiences with Vietnamese cuisine, language, and art that allow people from different cultures to connect and learn from each other.

Beyond the culinary experiences, Vietnam’s art performances left a strong impression. The lion dance and Thuy Phap martial arts captivated audiences, especially children, many of whom were witnessing such traditional Vietnamese performances for the first time. These performances blended martial arts with music, offering a unique cultural experience.

The event was an opportunity to showcase Vietnamese culture and a source of pride for the Vietnamese community in Belgium.

Thuy Phap, a Vietnamese martial art founded in Belgium. (Photo: IVB - Intercultureel Centrum Vietnam en Pacific in Brussel)

Kim Ngoc, a Vietnamese expatriate who has lived in Belgium for nearly half a century, expressed her deep emotions upon seeing the global interest in Vietnamese culture. She noted that international recognition of Vietnam’s cultural heritage is a great source of pride, especially in an increasingly globalized world.

Sabzé, a Cameroonian and founder of the Sabzé Center, also praised the richness and uniqueness of Vietnamese culture. He emphasized that Vietnamese culture is distinctive and captivating, inspiring him to learn more about it.

The Hakuna Matata Festival is an opportunity for Vietnamese culture to reach out to the world, sharing beautiful traditions and values. Through this event, the international community gained a deeper understanding of Vietnamese culture and experienced the openness, warmth, and generosity of the Vietnamese people.

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