Hanoi (VNA) -☂ The Ministry of Education and Training on October 28 kicked off the preliminary round for the northern region of the 2023 Vietnamese speaking contest for foreign students studying in the country.

In his opening speech, Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Van Phuc recalled the success of the Vietnamese speaking contest for Laotian exchange students in 2019. This year’s competition has expanded its scope to include foreign students of various nationalities studying at universities, academies, colleges, and Vietnamese language training establishments nationwide. The contest aims to foster cultural exchanges between Vietnam and countries across the globe, providing a platform to help foreign students enhance Vietnamese language proficiency during their stay in the Southeast Asian nation, he said. It also contributes to promoting Vietnamese education and culture to international friends, thereby strengthening friendly relations between Vietnam and the global community. Under the theme "Vietnam in My Eyes," participating foreign students share their understanding of the land, people, and culture, and their meaningful experiences in their studies and daily life in Vietnam. They are also encouraged to express their thoughts on the solidarity and friendship between Vietnam and their home countries. The contest, initiated in August 2023, received enthusiastic responses from 65 training institutions across 29 provinces and cities. Phuc stated the contest showcases the interest and love of international friends toward Vietnam, its people, and culture and serves as a driving force to enhance the language teaching and learning of the language. Phonesavath Philarmarkhoth, a Lao candidate representing the Thai Nguyen University in the northern province of the same name, expressed her excitement in joining the competition, especially given its larger scale this year. She found the competition to be a valuable opportunity to improve her Vietnamese language and public speaking skills. She also expressed her gratitude for the care and support she has received from Vietnamese teachers and fellow students so far. The contest is a useful platform for international students, facilitating cultural exchanges and enhancing their Vietnamese language skills. It involves two to three main speakers from each participating team, and they are allowed a maximum of seven minutes for their presentations. The contestants will deliver their speeches in Vietnamese on self-chosen topics. The talks can be accompanied by any necessary illustrations to make them engaging and persuasive. The regional preliminary rounds are held for 36 teams in the northern region, 16 teams in the central region, and 13 teams in the southern region. The organizing committee will award a total of 60 prizes, including four first, eight second, 12 third, and 24 consolidation prizes for the preliminary rounds in the three regions. Additionally, there will be one first, two second, three third, and six consolidation prizes for the national final round. The final round is scheduled to take place in Ho Chi Minh City on December 1 and gather 12 outstanding teams selected from the regional preliminary rounds. According to the Ministry of Education and Training, there are approximately 22,000 foreign students studying in Vietnam. Over the past five years (2016 - 2022), the country saw its 155 educational institutions admitting more than 45,000 foreign students from 102 countries and territories worldwide./.