Truong Binh Quyen, a Vietnamese-Spaniard, and his family are known for their contributions to promoting the image of Vietnam in Spain.
At the Mijas International Fair, the Quyens often opens a stall, the only Vietnamese stand, to introduce Vietnam to international friends.
The stall introduces the image of Vietnam
Mijas is a famous tourist city in Spain. Thus, a stall decorated with the brilliant national flag of Vietnam, nice conical hats, sophisticated fine arts and handicraft products and Vietnamese scripts, helps warm up overseas Vietnamese’s hearts.
That special stall has been present at such a fair seven years in a row.
Regarding the Mijas International Fair, Quyen shared that this fair drew the participation of more than 20 nations with different cultures. Acknowledging that the fair was a good chance to promote images of Vietnam, Quyen decided to take part in it since 2005. A miniature of Vietnam at the fair attracts a number of tourists.
The unique stall showcases various traditional products, such as lacquer paintings, wooden statues, ceramic products, conical hats, and Ao dai, a traditional dress of Vietnam. Vietnamese dishes, including spring roll, fried noodles, floating cakes and boiled dumplings, are also served at the stall.
Quyen is also acted as a tourist guide to introduce tourist spots in Vietnam to international tourists.
He recalled that, in a fair, he presented a conical hat to Mijas Mayoress as she called at his stall. The Mayoress wore that hat during her visit to the fair, which inspired hundreds of visitors to buy conical hats.
Many televisions eye this attractive stall
Quyen confided that he would like to keep the tradition of Vietnam in Spain. Therefore, over 30 years now, his family has done everything to help international friends learn more about Vietnam through exhibited products.
According to Quyen, his three children have a good command of the Vietnamese language. Quyen thinks that “without the mother tongue, the national culture no longer exists”, so his family often speaks Vietnamese at home.
Quyen is keeping a set of text books in Vietnamese for the first to ninth school graders. Lots of spicy plants of Vietnam are grown in Quyen’s garden. His two sons-in-law do love Vietnamese food and know how to use chopsticks.
In 2006, the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs handed him a Certificate of Merit for his great and active contributions to introducing Vietnam’s culture, promoting tourism and enhancing Vietnam-Spain friendship.
In 2009, he received the award “Typical overseas Vietnamese businessman”, offered by Ministry of Industry and Commerce.
However, his great pride is recognised as a Vietnamese by local people instead of being mistaken for another nationality.
Source: DV
Translated by Mai Huong
