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Going green: The drawing Wonder from Green Gables by Nguyen Hong Ngoc from the city of Nha Trang in Khanh Hoa Province was the winner of the Special Prize. — File Photo |
HA NOI — Winners of the Canada and the World of Anne of Green Gables writing and drawing contest were announced at a special awards ceremony held on the occasion of Canada Day yesterday in Ha Noi.
With her drawing Wonder from Green Gables, Nguyen Hong Ngoc from the central province of Khanh Hoa won the special prize of VND5 million (US$260), books from Nha Nam Culture and Communications JSC and an Anne doll from Canadian Ambassador Deanna Horton.
Ngoc was not at the awards ceremony but she sent word that she would give all of her prize money to her aunt, who is suffering from breast cancer.
Her brightly coloured drawing Wonder from Green Gables depicts Anne holding a maple leaf in a flower garden.
Twenty young Vietnamese were awarded prizes including one special prize and one first for drawings; four second prizes and four third prizes for drawings and writings; and ten encouragement prizes.
Tu Ha An, a 12th grader pupil from the Amsterdam High School in Ha Noi, won second prize for writing. Her winning entry was a letter to her friend describing Anne's story and her Canadian home.
"The book brings me back to my childhood. Anne is a lot like me. After reading the books, I have more belief in life and put forth more efforts," said An.
Teenagers from around the country sent 200 entries for their chance to win the contest. Organisers said most of the entries were drawings.
The contest was organised by the Embassy of Canada, the Viet Nam-Canada Friendship Association and Nha Nam Culture and Communications JSC, and was sponsored by CanCham.
It was held to commemorate the first Vietnamese language publication of the classic Canadian novel Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery.
Loved by children and adults alike around the world, the book has been translated into 30 languages and more than 50 million copies have been sold world wide.
The second book of the Anne Shirley series, Anne of Avonlea, is expected to be available in Vietnamese soon, published by Nha Nam Culture and Communications.
"It was very moving to see how Canada and Anne of Green Gables are portrayed in the imagination of young Vietnamese. I hope that they will continue to explore Canada and our culture in the future," said Ambassador Horton.
The awards ceremony was held at the Friendship House in Ha Noi. — VNS