Thirty years, thirty Tet celebrations have gone by since the fall of South Vietnam in 1975. Through all that time, too long or too short depending on perspective, a global Vietnamese community has grown up in myriad circumstances around the world. But in whatever circumstances and in whatever corner of the world, anywhere that there is a Vietnamese community, Vietnamese is still spoken and nurtured in homes, churches, temples and Sunday language schools. A Vietnamese may be American or French or Australian, separated by oceans apart. But they still share a language that helps bridge the gap and brings them closer together. As someone has said, "As long as Vietnamese is still spoken, there will always be a Vietnam."

This year marks the 10-year anniversary of Tet-In-Seattle and the 30-year anniversary of the global Vietnamese community. To mark this special occasion, Tet-In-Seattle chooses "Our Native Voice" as the theme of this New Year's Festival, to remind ourselves of the cultural importance of always nurturing a common language despite difficult circumstances. A couple of new generations of Vietnamese-Americans have grown up and become an integral part of mainstream American society. English has become the standard language and frame of reference for most everyday activities. Nonetheless, for many people in the local Vietnamese community, Vietnamese is still the principal language spoken at home, and it still is a significant factor in social life. People do not regard the vitality of Vietnamese language as a barrier to integration, but as a common cultural heritage to be lovingly preserved and passed on to future generations. With care and perseverance, Vietnamese could someday become a language taught in schools, colleges and universities.

We want to emphasize the word Voice in our theme. It does not just mean the spoken language. It also means the expression of ideas and feelings on issues of common interest or concern. We want to acknowledge the growing involvement of the Vietnamese community in the cultural, economic, and civic life of Washington state at all levels. Such involvement, through active participation in community events, through entrepreneurial and volunteer activities, through voting and other exercise of citizenship, marks the maturing presence of the Vietnamese community in Washington state. It helps contribute to the success of the Vietnamese community in our new adopted homeland, and fosters the hope that someday the belated blessings of liberty will also come to Vietnam.

The Voice in "Our Native Voice" can also refer to the pride we feel for the achievement and success of many Vietnamese Americans in all walks of life and in many diverse fields of endeavor. Let us continue to cherish our language and cultural heritage for the next thirty years and beyond. "As long as Vietnamese is still spoken, there will always be a Vietnam."