VNLC Tết Festival 2017
VNLC Tết Festival has become an annual tradition at UCLA, and this year will mark our 23rd year celebrating Tết Nguyên Đán, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year. It is believed that a joyous Tết atmosphere will ensure a year of prosperity, and as such, Tết is always marked by grand celebrations. Our program, which takes place on January 22, 2017 in Ackerman Ballroom, UCLA, seeks to recreate this lively atmosphere by offering traditional games and delicacies as well as cultural performances such as Lion Dance, Áo Dài Fashion Show, and Traditional Dance.
Tết is one of the most important aspects of Vietnamese culture. Unfortunately, it is not as widely celebrated in the United States, and as such, individuals who wish to celebrate the holiday face barriers to doing so, especially faculty and students residing near UCLA. VNLC hopes that bringing this program to UCLA and working to generate a genuine Tết atmosphere will allow those who are not able to celebrate with their families to have an authentic and enjoyable holiday experience.
UCLA is fortunate to be home to a very diverse environment, but even so, the Vietnamese community remains underrepresented. We hope that our program will be able to recognize and define Vietnamese culture in this diverse environment. VNLC Tết Festival is, and has always been free to the public. We hope our event helps spread awareness of Vietnamese culture, thereby creating a more knowledgeable, tolerant, and interconnected UCLA community and highlighting the importance of cultural expression.
VNLC works hard to create an authentic Tết atmosphere by featuring traditional Vietnamese foods, games, decorations, and art forms, which inevitably results in high costs—many of which are wholly or partially not covered by UCLA funding. This program is a labor of love. A large team of UCLA students have donated their precious time to rehearse and prepare for this event because we are dedicated to producing the most engaging and successful show possible. We hope you will support our vision and mission of spreading awareness of Vietnamese culture and of bringing joy to the community.
Thank you for your time and consideration,
Nhat Anh Cao
VNLC Tết Festival Coordinator
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About VNLC: VNLC was founded in 1994 with a mission to ensure the preservation and representation of Vietnamese culture and values and since then, we have established a variety of projects to achieve that goal. Education is very important value in Vietnamese culture. VNLC ensures students have the tools to succeed academically through our REACHE program, in which UCLA students provide tutoring to students at Canoga Park High School. Through Saturday Vietnamese Tutorial, K-12 students learn about their language and culture, ensuring the proliferation of Vietnamese culture for future generations. Our second major cultural project is VNLC Tết Festival, which not only allows the UCLA community to celebrate the Vietnamese New Year, but also educates them about the richness of the Vietnamese heritage. Through our dedication to a variety of projects, contributes to the preservation of Vietnamese culture, promotes cultural exchange, and give back to the community, both on and off campus.
