Vietnamese’ largest market in Berlin hosts popular cultural festival

BERLIN – A freshly-ended popular culture festival called “Sống ở Berlin” (Living in Berlin) has taken Đồng Xuân – the largest Vietnamese shopping centre in Berlin – by storm, attracting over 10,000 participants and vividly depicting the integration and coexistence of different cultures.

A performance at the festival. VNA/VNS Photo Phương Hoa

The four-day event, starting on July 25, featured live music performances, activities involving arts, comedy, dance, and Vietnamese cuisine, as well as discussions focusing on the younger Vietnamese generation growing up in Berlin, embodying both cultures. It also ran a Vietnamese film programme showcasing award-winning short movies and special pre-screenings of a new series by the German broadcaster ARD, titled “Made in Germany” and directed by young Vietnamese-German director Ngô Ngọc Đức.

At the event, which marked the shopping centre’s 20th founding anniversary, its general director Nguyễn Văn Hiền recalled its development path from challenging and difficult early days to the present vibrant and distinctive operation amidst a multicultural Berlin. The journey is truly memorable and a source of pride, he said.

Mayor of Lichtenberg Martin Schaefer noted that the district, which houses Đồng Xuân and the largest Vietnamese community in the German capital, has evolved along with immigrants who have come to shape the area.

According to Schaefer, out of approximately 310,000 people currently residing in Lichtenberg, nearly 12,500 are of Vietnamese descent. Therefore, the shopping centre and other facilities established by Vietnamese expatriates in Berlin and the neighbouring state of Brandenburg have played a significant role in building social bridges in many years.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Germany Vũ Quang Minh said that Đồng Xuân is not only the number one commercial and service hub for the Vietnamese community in Europe but also a major contributor to Berlin’s tax revenue, providing numerous jobs and serving as a significant cultural venue for various segments of Germany’s population, especially the youth. — VNA/VNS