HA NOI — A debate over the selection of a national flower has resurfaced this week.
Concerned parties met in Ha Noi on Wednesday but a final decision on the flower of Viet Nam has yet to be made.
A proposal for the adoption of a national flower was drafted in April. Since then, numerous suggestions have been made by concerned parties. Head of flower and bonsai discipline of the Vegetable and Fruit Research Institute Daêng Van Dong said many people mistakenly assume the lotus to be Viet Nam's national flower.
This coincides with the results of recent internet polls of 130,000 people which found a 40 per cent preference for the lotus, 33.6 per cent for ochna and 8.2 per cent for the peach blossom.
Vi Kien Thanh, head of the Department for Fine Arts, Photography and Exhibition and a member of the proposal drafting board, said: "The flower should be a typical example of the diversified culture of Viet Nam's 54 ethnic groups. The flower should have been planted long ago and be available in many localities. It should bloom throughout the year."
But celebrated painter, Tran Khanh Chuong, said the criteria was a little complicated. He said the flower needed to be popular and loved by the people, adding that he thought the lotus flower, for its strength and beauty, would be a good candidate.
Professor Tran Duy Quy agreed that the lotus was an appropriate choice as the flower's seeds can sprout after 500 years if preserved properly.
Le Thi Minh Ly, deputy head of ministry's Heritage Department, noted that the selection should be based on a persuasive scientific and legal foundation.
"I wonder whether our national flower can bring anything for the nation and whether we will occupy a more important role in the world with the flower," said Ly.
Pham Sanh Chau, general secretary of UNESCO Viet Nam, said he thought that selecting a national flower was necessary for diplomacy.
"If we choose a national flower, we can use that flower as a decoration in foreign affairs events to create a Vietnamese identity," he said. "To date we have constructed our identity around Ha Long Bay, nem (spring rolls) and pho (traditional noodle)."
Pham Thanh Hai, vice chairman of Viet Nam Association for Bonsai and Pets, noted that the chosen flower would appear together with the images of Ha Long Bay, Viet Nam's traditional long dress, and the bamboo conical hat, as iconic images of the country.
In the next few months, a follow-up conference will be organised in the central and southern regions to seek more opinions from colourful cultural identities, scientists and historians. These will be followed by a poll for submission to the Government and National Assembly for a final decision. — VNS