A Banquet of Hope: Celebrating Community at Vietnam Education Society Spring Fundraiser.

On the evening of March 26, the Pink Pearl Chinese Restaurant was charged with more than just the steam from an eight-course banquet; it was filled with the Vietnamese spirit of thân thương - that deep, familiar love that binds a community together. 

At PCHC-MoM, we believe migration is not just a journey of miles, but a journey of maintaining roots while building new routes and settling in new countries. VES Spring Family & Friends Fundraiser Dinner was a beautiful testament to this. As we gathered to support the Vietnam Education Society (VES) and Southeast Asian Cultural Heritage Society (SEACHS), we saw firsthand how the heritage we carry from Southeast Asia continues to flourish through acts of collective care here in the Greater Vancouver area.

The evening opened with the sharp, rhythmic pulse of drums, and the vibrant entrance of young lion dancers. This reminds us that our heritage is not a static artifact of the past, but a living legacy carried forward by the next generation to the present moment.

We often talk about the "human threads" that make migration stories possible. Yesterday, those threads were found in Lien, director of VES, and Khanh, president of SEACHS, whose dedication served as vital connections weaving our communities together.

During the program, Lois, director of VES, spoke with a grounded passion about the core mission of VES. She reminded us that every project, from rural schools to individual scholarships, is an act of building a future where every child has the agency to write their own story.

Whether through Khanh’s songs, Lois’s advocacy, or the youth energy of a Viet Vibe-a Vancouver-based Vietnamese music foundation, the VES fundraiser proved that when we invest in education "back home," we are strengthening the cultural roots of the Southeast Asian community right here in Canada. 

Looking ahead, this evening is just one chapter in a much larger story. We are excited to deepen our partnership with VES and SEACHS through future collaborative projects that bridge intercultural heritage. This shared commitment ensures that Vietnam’s community’s story continues to be written and lived with hope and purpose, both here and in Vietnam.