Tiếng Việt
NTTU – The atmosphere of the Lunar New Year 2026 arrived early at Nguyen Tat Thanh University as the University’s Trade Union organized a series of activities to celebrate the spring festival with the theme “Vietnamese Tet – Family Reunion Meal” and the “Making Banh Chung – Tet Reunion” event. Taking place over several consecutive days, the program attracted a large number of staff, lecturers, employees, and students, creating a traditional Tet atmosphere rich in cultural identity right within the university campus.
This is an annual activity within the “Trade Union Welfare” and “Tet Reunion” programs organized by the Trade Union of Nguyen Tat Thanh University on behalf of the University. Beyond celebrating the Lunar New Year, the program demonstrates practical concern for the spiritual well-being of faculty, staff, and employees after a year of hard work, teaching, and dedication. In the context of an increasingly stressful educational environment, community-building activities like this become a crucial source of moral support for the university’s staff.
The atmosphere was lively during the “Making Banh Chung – Tet Reunion” festival at Nguyen Tat Thanh University.
The series of activities began with the “Making Banh Chung – A Family Reunion for Tet” event, attracting enthusiastic participation from numerous lecturers, students, and staff members of the university. For the first time, many young people had the opportunity to directly experience all the steps involved, such as washing the sticky rice, rinsing the banana leaves, arranging the molds, and tying the strings. Under the dedicated guidance of the teachers, each perfectly square banh chung was gradually completed, becoming not only a culinary product but also a vivid lesson in traditional cultural values. For many students far from home, this was also a meaningful opportunity to fully experience the family Tet atmosphere right on campus.
Continuing the warm atmosphere, a cooking competition themed “Vietnamese Tet – A Family Reunion Meal” was held, bringing together 35 teams from various departments, faculties, centers, and institutes. Each team was assigned a small kitchen in the schoolyard and prepared a traditional Tet meal within 45 minutes. Familiar dishes such as banh chung (sticky rice cake), braised pork with eggs, bitter melon soup, pickled onions, fried spring rolls, salads, and spring sweet soup were successively completed, each team showcasing the Tet flavors of their respective regions.
The “Vietnamese Tet – Family Reunion Meal” competition attracted 35 participating teams from various units within the school.
The Tet feast reflects the rich flavors of the three regions of Vietnam: North, Central, and South.
Beyond just cooking, each team also sent a representative to present their chosen meal. Some teams recounted the Tet (Lunar New Year) traditions of Northern Vietnam with green sticky rice cakes, lotus jam, and hot tea; others brought the simple yet cozy atmosphere of Tet in Central Vietnam; and still others recreated a Southern Vietnamese meal with braised pork with eggs and coconut milk, bitter melon soup stuffed with meat, and sticky rice cakes… These sincere, unpretentious, yet emotional presentations reminded many listeners of their own family meals during the end of the year.
Representatives from each team presented on the significance of the family reunion meal during Tet (Lunar New Year).
Speaking at the event, Dr. Hoang Huu Dung – Vice Rector and Chairman of the University’s Trade Union – stated that the series of activities “Making Banh Chung (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes) – Tet Reunion” and “Family Reunion Meal” are not only a movement but also contribute to building a sustainable organizational culture. When faculty, staff, and students have the opportunity to meet in intimate spaces, free from work or teaching pressure, collegial and teacher-student relationships will become closer, thereby creating a positive foundation for professional activities.
Dr. Hoang Huu Dung – Vice Rector and Chairman of the University’s Trade Union, delivered a speech at the program.
After the judging period, the Jury awarded 30 consolation prizes to the participating teams in the cooking competition. Third prize went to the Student Affairs Department and the Faculty of Tourism for their harmoniously and meticulously presented meal. Second prize went to the Communications Department and the Human Resources Department for their meal embodying the “flavor of Tet – the flavor of home,” evoking a warm and joyful atmosphere of family reunion. First prize was awarded to the Faculty of Political Theory, impressed by their meal that subtly combined culinary artistry with a profound presentation on the significance of Tet meals in family life and society today.
The series of activities contributes to spreading the traditional Tet atmosphere and strengthening the NTTU community.
Concluding the series of activities, from the steaming pots of sticky rice cakes to the vibrant spring-themed feasts, everything created a warm Tet (Lunar New Year) scene in the heart of the city. Beyond simply celebrating the spring festival, the “Family Reunion Feast – Making Sticky Rice Cakes, a Joyful Tet” also affirms Nguyen Tat Thanh University’s commitment to building a cohesive internal culture, caring for the spiritual well-being of its members, and spreading traditional national values within a modern educational environment.
NTTU cordially invites faculty and staff to view more images HERE.
Execution: Cam Thach
Image: Media
