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Big love: Pham Quang Nghi, secretary of the Ha Noi Municipal Party Committee, presents the Grand Prize to writer To Hoai. — VNS Photo Truong Vi |
HA NOI — The Bui Xuan Phai - Love for Ha Noi awards ceremony took place yesterday in honour of individuals and organisations who have made great contributions to Ha Noi in the fields of culture, arts and society.
The Grand Prize is granted to an individual who devotes his or her life to Ha Noi and has a career that strongly connects to the capital city. This year, 90-year-old writer To Hoai, who has written 30 books about Ha Noi and contributed to 50 others, took home the top prize.
Last year, scholar Nguyen Vinh Phuc walked away with the Grand Prize for his extensive research on Ha Noi over the past 55 years.
The Idea Prize is awarded to an individual or idea that respects the capital's unique qualities and contributes plans to beautify and develop the capital. Architect Hoang Thuc Hao and his partners took home the prize for their project named Peaceful Road, to restore a part of the Thang Long Citadel.
Last year, the prize was presented to architect Dinh Viet Phuong and the website ashui.com for their Old Quarter restoration ideas, including restoration of colonial architecture using 3D technology and the establishment of an online museum.
Musician Nguyen Cuong was awarded the Work Prize for his chorus of bronze drums. He successfully played the drum, which is considered by the Vietnamese as a holy symbol.
Last year, the Work Prize was given to writer Pham Van Quy for ten plays about Thang Long (the former name of Ha Noi) in three traditional genres: tuong (classical drama), cheo (traditional opera) and cai luong (reformed theatre).
This year's Job Prize was granted to a group of scientists and specialists who proved the values of the Thang Long Citadel and nominated it as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site.
Professor Phan Huy Le represented the group of winners.
"This prize is for many domestic and international scientists who have worked for a long time to protect and respect the citadel of the 1,000-year-old capital," he says. "We are so happy that we contributed our part to helping the world recognise our heritage."
Last year, the Ha Noi People's Committee won the prize for its efforts to transform the Ha Noi Opera Plaza project into the 19/8 Park in August Revolution Square near the Ha Noi Opera House.
This award is special because it's the only one granted for love, said Ngo Ha Thai, editor-in-chief of The Thao&Van Hoa (Sports and Culture) newspaper.
"It recognised the love culture activists have for Ha Noi," he says. "This year, it is more meaningful than ever because Ha Noi is turning 1,000 years old."
This year's awards were organised by the Ha Noi People's Committee and sponsored by the daily The Thao&Van Hoa and the Bui Xuan Phai Fund.
Judges included poet Bang Viet, chairman of the Ha Noi Literature and Arts Association; researcher Nguyen Vinh Phuc; journalist Ngo Ha Thai, deputy general director of the Viet Nam News Agency; painter Tran Khanh Chuong, chairman of the Viet Nam Fine Arts Association; architect Doan Duc Thanh and musician Phu Quang.
The awards were established in 2008 in honour of painter Bui Xuan Phai (1920-1988), a founder of modern art in Viet Nam.
The foundation was established by the painter's son, Bui Thanh Phuong, and one of the largest art collectors of Bui Xuan Phai's works, Tran Hau Tuan. — VNS