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Local Vietnamese community enjoys cultural festival

The 228 Peace Park in Taipei was host to a Vietnamese cultural festival yesterday in which Vietnamese workers were invited to celebrate their National Day.

More than 8,500 Vietnamese workers are employed in Taipei, according to Taipei Department of Labor Deputy Director Hsiao Shu-yen (蕭淑燕), who said the festival was designed to help relieve their homesickness and to show the city's multiculturalism.

Games, talk shows, singing contests and a food fair were part of the festival, which also welcomed participation by locals. Door prizes, including return tickets to Vietnam, were also offered.

Sister Wei Wei (韋薇) of the Re-rum Novarum Center, the Catholic social service group that sponsored the activity, said the center has been helping foreign workers solve legal and other problems since 1986.

"We have come to realize that cultural understanding is more important than just giving technical assistance to newcomers," she said, noting that cultural festivals help bridge the distance between foreigners and locals.

The festival aims to help "foreign friends" realize that they and their contributions are recognized and respected by the host country, she added.

The sister said her center will also sponsor a Philippines cultural day on Sept. 24 and will help organize an Indonesian national day in early November.
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