2024.07.19

[Buddy Program] Vietnam Special Day

At Osaka Tourism University, as part of the special “Buddy Program,” where international students and Japanese students pair up to engage in various activities to deepen their understanding of each other’s cultures, we held the “Vietnam Festival” from Monday, July 8 to Friday, July 12, 2024. The festival aimed to promote “diversity” both within and outside the university.

During the “Vietnam Festival,” particularly on Tuesday, July 9, designated as “Vietnam Special Day,” with the cooperation of the Osaka Vietnam Friendship Association, we set up booths on campus where participants could try on the traditional Ao Dai and experience traditional games such as “Banh Dua.” Additionally, the Vietnamese Student Association provided Vietnamese-style fried corn “Bap Xao” and kumquat tea “Cha Tac.”

Following the “Korea Special Day” held in June, the “Vietnam Special Day” was held for the second consecutive year. For the first time, a Vietnamese language class taught by Vietnamese international students was offered and was well-received, especially by participants from the local community. The event also featured a performance of the Vietnamese bamboo dance “Mua Sap” and nostalgic Vietnamese songs performed by volunteers from the International Mixed Chorus, which brought much excitement and applause from the audience.

Continuing from this year’s “Korea Festival” and “Vietnam Festival,” we will hold a “China Festival” in October. Osaka Tourism University plans to continue organizing cultural exchange events focusing on its students’ home countries and regions, including Korea, China, Vietnam, and Japan. As part of the special “Buddy Program,” we will also host sports tournaments on campus, showcasing the international aspect of Osaka Tourism University to the outside world.

*This event was supported by the Nakajima Memorial International Exchange Foundation grants and organized as part of the Local Exchange Program for International Students by the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO).


Translated and edited by: Zili XUE, Office of Center for Tourism Research & Education (CTRE)