Last weekend, the Ho Chi Minh City Opera House came alive with special agricultural stalls showcasing Ben Tre coconut products and an outstanding art music night. These were hands-on activities to commemorate the 64th anniversary of the Ben Tre Uprising (January 17,1960 - 17 January 17, 2024).
The flower gate with two winding dragons is made of various fruits and welcomes the Lunar New Year of the Dragon in 2024.
Organised by the Ben Tre Provincial Centre for Culture and Cinema, the Coconut Cultural Space offers a variety of performances including traditional music, the Ben Tre - Grateful and Hospitable cultural programme, artists teaching rice paper making and allowing visitors to grill and taste rice paper on the spot, coconut leaf arrangements and a portrait drawing experience for visitors. The exhibition space features a range of coconut-related products and specialities, including handicrafts, coconut leaf paintings, jewellery, coconut rice paper, sweets, preserves and bottled fresh coconut water.
The special musical instruments made of coconut are created by the artist Võ Văn Bá.
On the evening of 7 October, an art programme entitled "Gratitude for the Coconut Hometown - Aspiration for Far-reaching Growth" was held in Ho Chi Minh City, attended by leaders from various departments of Ho Chi Minh City and Ben Tre Province, as well as entrepreneurs and Ben Tre journalists. At the event, artists presented popular performances praising the land and people of Ben Tre, while designer Nguyễn Việt Hùng's collection "Ben Tre - Land of Martial Arts - Heavenly Poetry" highlighted the use of coconut shell material in decorative embellishments.
The hand-painted artwork was created by the artist for auction to raise funds for the program.
The painting "Green Dragon of the Saigon River", created by artist Đoàn Việt Tiến with 10 fingers, depicting the "Water Soul" costume sketch, was auctioned for VND300 million to support the programme's charity fund.
Lê Tấn Bửu, head of the Liaison Committee for Ben Tre People in Ho Chi Minh City and representative of the organising committee, said the programme was being held in Ho Chi Minh City to promote the image of the coconut land in the country's most bustling city.
Diverse and abundant coconut-based agricultural products.
The programme has raised funds from corporate sponsors to support and improve the lives of people in need in the province. Initiatives include providing 20 scholarships for Ben Tre students studying in Ho Chi Minh City, medical equipment, and financial support for the Ben Tre Provincial Committee of the Vietnamese Fatherland Front and the Ben Tre Provincial Youth Union.
