Nguyen Huu Hung is the organizer of Vietnam’s first cultural month in Rome, in 2006. This event is not only a significant cultural exchange between Vietnam and Italy but also holds deep personal meaning for Mr. Hung.

Vietnam and Italy recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations. Over the past half-century, these two countries have become reliable partners in various fields, including economics, politics, diplomacy, and notably, culture. Culture, in particular, has naturally and strongly served as a bridge for nations to engage in mutual understanding and exchange, even across vast distances.

The event Vietnamese Cultural Month was inaugurated in the city of Rome in June 2006, serving as a significant bridge that brought together two distinct cultures. Behind the concept of this program stands Mr. Nguyen Huu Hung.

A Vietnam Cultural Ambassador in Italy

Mr. Hung was awarded a scholarship to study in Italy at the young age of 17. After several years of studying, living, and working in Italy, he opened his first restaurant named “Viet Nam” in the late 1970s. Additionally, he emerged as an esteemed expert in facilitating commercial ties between Vietnam and Italy.

Among his notable contributions to fostering the relationship between the two nations was the cultural event known as Vietnam Cultural Month in Rome, officially titled the Vietnam Cultural Dragon – Butterfly Festival.

Vision for the Occasion

The driving force behind Mr. Nguyen Huu Hung’s design and organization of the event was his desire to showcase Vietnam’s image to Italian friends. He shared that despite years having passed since the war, many people still think that Vietnam remained in a state of conflict and political instability. Therefore, he constantly aspires to organize a cultural festival to widely disseminate the positive aspects of Vietnam.

 

Despite his background in economics, Hung chose to organize a cultural festival because he believed there was no better way for international friends to understand Vietnam than through the cultural door of arts and traditions.

Emotional Bond with Vietnam

Mr. Nguyen Huu Hung believes that his actions are the duty of a Vietnamese living far from his native land. Along with his wife Ms. Nguyen Hong Van – founder of Eviva Tour Vietnam, he has engaged in activities that foster connections, including participating in various humanitarian projects initiated by Italy in Vietnam. He has facilitated visits to Italian delegations and provided consultation to encourage investments in Vietnam.

 

Eviva Tour Vietnam, established in 2004, is also a business that fulfills the mission of connecting Italian friends to Vietnam through tourism. The company continues its operations in Vietnam up to the present day in the field of Vietnam and Indochina tours.

Highlights of the Vietnamese Cultural Month in Rome

As part of the annual Spring Festival organized by Rome, the Vietnam Cultural Month event lasts for over a month and includes a variety of activities such as art exhibitions, photography displays, fashion shows, music performances, culinary arts, and economic and tourism seminars.

Context of the cultural event

During the press conference on the afternoon of April 26, 2006, the Italian ambassador to Vietnam, Alfredo Matacotta Cordella, officially announced a significant cultural event for both countries called the Vietnam Cultural Festival – Vietnamese Dragon & Butterfly Cultural Festival.

 

Mr. Hung revealed that the name “Dragon and Butterfly” festival was the brainchild of an Italian journalist and writer who deeply loved Vietnam. During his visit to Vietnam, this journalist delved into the origin of the Vietnamese people’s dragon and fairy heritage. He was captivated by the graceful “butterfly wings” of the traditional Vietnamese costume. From this inspiration, the idea of a cultural festival was born to showcase the unique aspects of Vietnamese culture. This proposal received enthusiastic support from the mayor of Rome, E. Gasbara, and other Italian friends. Mr. Gasbara even suggested that the Rome authorities fully sponsor the festival’s activities.

With the theme “Dragon and Butterfly,” Vietnam aimed to attract Rome peacefully through art, film, photography, cuisine, and fashion. This initiative was integrated into the broader context of the Spring Festival organized by the province of Rome, comprising 600 cultural events, stages, and various forms of art taking place throughout the region.

Activities of the event

Contemporary art exhibition

The Vietnam Cultural Festival in Rome has kicked off with a contemporary art exhibition and a display of traditional Vietnamese costumes at the Vittoriano Museum.

 

The exhibition showcases over 80 prominent works by 20 renowned contemporary artists from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, along with various pieces from the Hanoi Fine Arts Museum. The Vittoriano Museum, one of Rome’s most renowned landmarks, offered a prestigious platform for Vietnamese artists to access and assert their positions in the international art scene while promoting their names on a global scale.

Photography and Film

At Palazzo Valentini – the city’s headquarters – Ambassador Alfredo Matacotta Cordella’s photo exhibition took place. This exhibition portrays a truthful and vibrant reflection of everyday life, the beauty of nature, the land, and the people of Vietnam capturing the precious values that Vietnamese culture nurtures and builds upon.

 

In addition, there was also a Vietnamese film week held at the Vittorio Emanuele II Square – Rome’s largest square and a venue for outdoor film screenings every summer. Films such as “The Scent of Green Papaya,” “Cyclo,” “Vertical Ray of the Sun” by Tran Anh Hung, “Three Seasons” by Tony Bui, and “The Deserted Valley” by Pham Nhue Giang were featured during the event.

A Glimpse of Fashion

At Palazzo Valentini, on the grand stage where world-renowned fashion designer Valentino once presented fashion shows, a collection of 60 fashion designs by renowned Vietnamese designer Minh Hanh was introduced.

 

The collection, featuring indigenous materials, colors, lines, and a style accentuated by the gothic art of Europe, was built upon the theme of “Dragon and Butterfly”. This theme conveys the message of a thriving and resilient “dragon” of Vietnam, progressing with strength and determination.

Exploring the art of culinary

At Citta del Gusto, located by the Tevere River, the culinary delights of Vietnam were introduced. This is an esteemed privilege for Vietnam, as Citta del Gusto is a dedicated space for the art of cuisine. This program was considered a highly appealing event as chefs will directly guide the audience through the components, methods, and preparation time for Vietnamese dishes – culinary delights that were mostly unheard of by the Italian people and were enjoyed for the first time.

Navigating the Economic Landscape

Various other activities took place, including workshops on volunteering and tourism to promote Vietnam’s country and people to Italian guests. There was an economic cooperation workshop titled “A Window to Vietnam’s Economy,” aimed at enhancing economic ties between the two nations.

The Vietnam Dragon and Butterfly Cultural Festival provided a positive opportunity for the Vietnamese community in Italy to actively participate, assist, and promote the image of Vietnam in Italy. This is also a significant event in the relationship between the two countries.

In the year 2000, Mr. Nguyen Huu Hung was bestowed with the title of “Knight of the Italian Republic” by the Italian Government to recognize his contributions to the development of the Vietnam – Italy relationship across various domains.