by Hoang Ha
HCM CITY — Rock and pop music stars Dam Vinh Hung and Kasim Hoang Vu have become Goodwill Ambassadors for the Life Is Beautiful campaign that raises awareness about problems faced by people with disabilities.
Viet Nam Television (VTV) and East Meets West (a US-based non-governmental organisation) who jointly launched the campaign last December, said Hung and Kasim would be official representatives for the campaign to the community in Viet Nam and abroad.
| Ten best projects supporting disable people |
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- Congenital Differences by Handicapped International – Dioxin Resolution Initiatives in Viet Nam by Viet Nam Veterans of America Foundation.
- Inclusion of Vietnamese with Disabilities 2009-2011 by Viet Nam Association for the Handicapped.
- Capacity Building and Awareness Raising by Ha Noi Disabled People's Organisation.
- Support Network for People with Disabilities by East Meets West Foundation.
- Integrating Children with Disabilities by Plan International.
- Hai Chau Hope for the Handicapped Project by Children of Viet Nam.
- Supporting Agent Orange Survivors in the Central Highlands and Tay Ninh provinces by Agent Orange Victims' Fund and Red Cross Viet Nam.
- Increasing the Inclusion Ability for Children and Youth with Disabilities by Hold the Future Self-Help Group.
- Business Skills for Women with Disabilities by Inclusive Development Action |
The campaign also aims to mobilise resources to help those with disabilities living in disadvantaged conditions, as well as to support organisations that have been assisting them.
"In my concert tours around the world, I saw PWDs (people with disabilities) hold many jobs like selling tickets at DisneyLand. But in Viet Nam, they are considered unfortunate people deserving of pity," Hung said.
In Viet Nam, PWDs are seen as people who live on Government subsidies, he added.
"In fact, PWDs have the same rights to live and work, they do not need pity from the rest of the society," he said. "I want to use my influence to correct this misperception in our society."
"With their prestige and influence in society, the ambassadors will help us convey the concerns and needs of PWDs in Viet Nam to the community within the country and abroad, and call for contributions and support from them," said Nguyen Thi Minh Thu, Programme Development director of East Meets West.
The first mission of the two ambassadors is to participate in the Life Is Beautiful gala held at the White Palace in HCM City on April 17 to mark the day for people with disabilities in Viet Nam – April 18.
"The gala is being held to honor the talents and strength of the PWDs in Viet Nam, as well as the top ten best models in supporting PWDs in Viet Nam as selected by an independent panel of experts within the framework of the campaign," Thu said.
The organisers plan to sell 300 tickets for this Gala at prices that are yet to be announced.
The gala will be broadcast live on channels VTV3, VTV4, and VTV9 from 10am to 11.15am.
The gala has received support from other well-known artists and celebrities like music director Van Hiep, stylist Henri Hubert, supermodel Vu Nguyen Ha Anh, and singer Trinh Vinh Trinh.
Composer Nguyen Minh Chau has agreed to be the music director for the programme. He will also donate a number of his songs to the campaign.
La vita e bella
The gala is only the opening event for a series of media and fundraising activities within the Life Is Beautiful campaign, said Bach Ngoc Chien, director of VTV International Co-operation Department.
"A series of weekly shows will be broadcast on VTV4 and other VTV channels for audiences in Viet Nam and abroad," Chien said.
The shows would feature the lives and tribulations faced by PWDs, stories of how they have been overcome, projects that assist them and legal issues relating to the rights of PWDs, he said.
Besides, there will be large-scale events and roadshows across the country, and in the US, Australia and Europe that will be facilitated by the two new Goodwill Ambassadors. — VNS