A cinnamon tree that is over 150 years old in the mountainous commune of Tra Van (Danang City) has been recognized as a heritage tree of the country by the Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment.
Nguyen Tan Thanh, chairman of the Tra Van Commune People’s Committee, told thanhnien.vn that the cinnamon tree is about 30 meters tall and the perimeter of its trunk reaches 3.5 meters. As the tree is over 150 years old, local people often called it “Old Cinnamon” and they do not peel the bark for sale. Instead, locals only pick its seeds to cultivate seedlings.
After national heritage recognition, the cinnamon tree has been strictly protected by the local authorities, who also call for locals to build a stele for the heritage tree, aiming to turn the place into a community tourism destination.
Thanh said there is an age-old tea tree in Tra Van Commune, adding that scientists estimate the tea tree to be around 330 years old. The local government is preparing a dossier to be submitted to the relevant agencies in Danang City and the Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment, asking for recognition of the old tea tree as a national heritage tree.
A teacher’s effort to preserve Cho Ro culture
Nguyen Hong Nu, 36, has taught the English language to the students of the Cho Ro ethnic group in Xuan Thanh Commune, Dong Nai Province, for many years. She has also managed to teach these students the culture of the Cho Ro people to encourage them to preserve their own culture.
Born into a poor family with four children, Nu could finish high school and enter university thanks to the great effort of her mother. Completing the English Language Teacher Education, she returned to her home commune to teach at Nguyen Khuyen Elementary School.
A Cho Ro native, Nu has had good knowledge about traditional dances, songs, food and festivities of her people. But she saw that her compatriots, especially the youth, were not interested in their culture. Therefore, aside from teaching time, she managed to teach Cho Ro dialect, songs, dances and cuisine to her students.
After five years, thanks to the teacher’s endeavor, about 20 young students have learned Cho Ro traditional songs and dances. With her reputation, Nu has asked for sponsorship and scholarships for her poor students to enable them to continue their schooling, vietnamplus.vn reported.
Hue Nam Temple Festival in Hue
From August 30 to September 1 (from the 8th day to the 10th day of the 7th lunar month), the Hue Nam Temple Festival took place in Hue City. This is one of the biggest religious events in the central region, attracting tens of thousands of people and tourists. The festival is the worship of the Mother Goddesses and an effort of the Hue City government to preserve and promote an intangible cultural heritage of the country.
The Hue Nam Temple Festival began early in the morning with the procession of boats to welcome the Mother Goddesses from Thien Tien Thanh Giao Temple up the Huong River. Along the way, the boat procession stopped in front of Thien Mu Pagoda to carry out an incense-burning ritual. The boats then continued the procession to Hue Nam Temple. At this temple, several rituals to worship the Mother Goddesses and to pray for peace and prosperity were solemnly conducted.
Phan Thanh Hai, director of the Hue City Department of Culture and Sports, told vietnamplus.vn that the Hue Nam Temple Festival is an event to honor the worship of the Mother Goddesses, which was recognized by the UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
A “fairy” of poor students
At 82 years old, Dr. Bui Thi Hong Tien, director of the Learning-Talent Promotion Fund in Khanh Hoa Province, has devoted her life to helping poor students continue their schooling for decades.
Tien was formerly principal of the School of Political Studies of Khanh Hoa Province. Retiring from the post in 2000, she later acted as chairperson of the Learning Promotion Fund of the province. In 2012, she founded the province’s Learning-Talent Promotion Fund and has worked as the director of the fund ever since.
After 13 years of establishment, the Learning-Talent Promotion Fund has received tens of billions of dong from benefactors to grant scholarships to thousands of poor, industrious students. Tien has also contributed her own allowances worth hundreds of millions of dong to the fund.
Tran Thi Hiep, a poor, disabled student who was a valedictorian of the Nha Trang University’s entrance exam in 2022, received scholarships to study at the school. Now a fourth-year student of the Auditing Faculty of Nha Trang University, Hiep told tuoitre.vn that she could continue her schooling thanks to the support of Dr. Tien and the fund.
