SOURCE: QATAR TRIBUNE

Vietnamese people have many reasons to be proud of. From their rich history and culture, many Instagram-worthy tourist destinations and historical cities to its internationally-renowned cuisine, Vietnam is indeed a favourite for many travelers in Southeast Asia.

While the current size of the Vietnam community in Qatar -- around 700 to date -- represents a small slice of the big chunk of expats population here, their contribution to this exciting, cosmopolitan nation is still noteworthy.

“Our community in Qatar is represented by an organisation called the Vietnamese Community in Qatar which was established in 2009. Its main objective is to provide assistance and support to the members of the Vietnamese community especially in times of need. Most of our activities have been organised with the assistance and participation of the officials and staff of the Embassy of Vietnam in Doha,” Nguyen Trung Hieu, the leader of the Vietnamese Community in Qatar, told Qatar Tribune in an interview.

Hieu further reiterated that organising charity activities, both in Qatar and back home, is at the heart of their organisation. He said keeping an open communication lines among the nationals help them resolve pressing issues and concerns within the community and keep all the members engaged and informed.

“If there are any problems with our community members, we discuss to find out the solutions to those problems. Sometimes, we also encourage members of the Vietnamese community in Qatar to send help to our compatriots in our home country such as during natural disasters or epidemics,” he said.

In 2020, like many community organisations, the Vietnamese community group had been at the forefront of outreach initiatives, working side-by-side with the Embassy, in extending help to the nationals. Hieu pointed out, “Last year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we held some donation events to collect funds and the necessary supplies to help the Vietnamese in need. We also tried to provide the necessary information aimed at educating the community on the dangers of the pandemic as well as to encourage them to observe the health protocols introduced by Qatar Ministry of Public Health via a group on Facebook.”

He added, “We intend to continue some donation activities to support our community members in Qatar who have been seriously affected by the pandemic, especially those who lost their jobs. If the situation gets better, we will hold some sports activities such as golf, ping pong and chess which we had to postpone last year due to the health crisis.”

The community leader mentioned that other than their efforts related to the pandemic, the Vietnamese Community in Qatar also extended assistance to the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee to help the victims of flood that devastated parts of Central Vietnam last year.

Hieu also talked about his personal journey as a proud resident of Qatar and leader of his community in the country. Elections for leadership for the Vietnamese Community in Qatar are held every January. Aside from being elected in the recent election, Hieu also had the privilege to lead his community in previous terms.

“I have been living in Qatar since 2006 with my family. Qatar is the first foreign country I have ever lived outside of Vietnam so I love Qatar as my own country. I have learned Arabic language and I can speak it fluently. I have read many books about Qatari people, cultures and traditions. I have been working with Qatari people for 14 years. I find them very good and friendly. I love this country and I like the people here. Qatar is in my heart forever,” Hieu said.

He also wished his community well and expressed desire to see the end of the global health crisis. Hieu remarked, “I hope that with the effective measures applied by the concerned authorities in Qatar, the COVID-19 pandemic will be wiped out soon. At that time, the Vietnamese Community in Qatar will have opportunities to resume our gatherings and outdoor activities to promote the friendship and interconnection among community members.”

Schedule of activities of the Vietnamese Community in Qatar are posted on the website o the Embassy of Vietnam in Doha https://vnembassy-doha.mofa.gov.vn/ or through the group’s Facebook Page called “Nguoi Viet o Qatar”.