The 2025 Vietnamese Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations in India and Sri Lanka have emerged as powerful cultural bridges, fostering unity, heritage preservation, and intercultural dialogue. Organized by Vietnamese diplomatic missions, the festivities engaged hundreds of children and locals in traditional activities, strengthening friendship and solidarity in both countries.
This year’s Vietnamese Mid-Autumn Festival, traditionally a celebration of family reunion and children’s joy, took on exceptional cultural and diplomatic significance in India and Sri Lanka. The Vietnamese embassies in New Delhi and Sri Lanka crafted immersive festival experiences that showcased Vietnam’s rich customs while fostering deep cultural links with local communities.
The events emphasized the theme of togetherness and cultural preservation, highlighting the importance of youth engagement through creative and educational activities. Both countries witnessed vibrant displays of lantern making, folk performances, and games—the core elements that make this festival a treasured tradition in Vietnamese culture.
Important points from the celebrations include:
In India, the Vietnamese Embassy in New Delhi organized a dynamic festival where hundreds of Vietnamese children and young people participated. The event featured traditional lantern displays, folk games, and gift-giving, symbolizing the continuity of Vietnamese culture abroad.
Ambassador Nguyễn Thanh Hải underscored the festival’s role in sustaining cultural identity among the diaspora and enhancing cultural ties with the Indian community.
Enhanced cooperation among Vietnamese organizations and businesses in India underscored a collective spirit that helped broaden the festival’s reach and impact.
In Sri Lanka, the Trúc Lâm Zen Monastery—Vietnam’s inaugural pagoda in the country—served as a cultural hub for the festival’s first-ever local edition, uniting more than 100 Vietnamese and Sri Lankan children.
Ambassador Trịnh Thị Tâm highlighted the timing of the festival coinciding with Sri Lanka’s World Children’s Day, emphasizing shared commitments to nurturing youth and family values.
The Sri Lankan festivities involved interactive workshops on lantern making, traditional games, and cultural performances, offering local children immersive access to Vietnamese heritage.
The event also celebrated the 55th anniversary of Vietnam-Sri Lanka diplomatic relations, reinforcing bilateral friendship through cultural exchange and public diplomacy.
These vibrant celebrations reinforce the Mid-Autumn Festival as an effective cultural diplomacy tool, promoting heritage preservation, intercultural understanding, and friendship between Vietnam and its international partners. The focus on children and youth ensures that these traditions continue to thrive globally, creating lasting bonds across societies.
Sources: Vietnam News Agency, Economy Next, VietnamPlus, Vietnamese Embassy in Sri Lanka, VNA/VNS Photo