The series of activities not only honoured ancestral roots but also created a space for preserving the Vietnamese language, nurturing cultural identity, and bridging generations of Vietnamese in a multicultural environment.
CVCEC founder Phan Thi Quynh Trang said the Vietnamese population in Toronto, and across Canada more broadly, has been growing considerably. However, as second- and third-generation children integrate deeper into Canadian society, many now use Vietnamese almost exclusively within the family, with few opportunities to practice the mother tongue in daily life. Without appropriate classes, community spaces, and cultural activities, the risk of language erosion and cultural disconnection is becoming sharply evident.
Against this backdrop, CVCEC established the Viet Youth Readiness Hub as a dedicated platform to connect, support, and empower Vietnamese-Canadian youth. It aims to emerge as a central force to host social events, advance heritage education, foster exchange and integration among young Vietnamese in Canada. Debut activities include a new community Vietnamese class for children aged 4–6 and the rollout of a Vietnamese-language bookshelf.
With themes tied to the Hung Kings’ Commemoration Day, the first lessons were designed to be simple, engaging, and age-appropriate, allowing children to approach the language naturally and with enjoyment.
Initial feedback from participating parents has been positive. Trinh Thi Hang, a senior parent, said running Hung Kings’ Commemoration Day activities for children born in Canada is especially meaningful. Through familiar cultural symbols such as banh chung (square glutinous rice cake), banh day (round glutinous rice cake), festivals, and stories of national origins, children can better understand Vietnam’s major traditions and develop a deeper sense of connection to their homeland./.
