The Mid-Autumn festival has been held across the country with a wide range of activities. Everyone hopes to bring a warm mid-autumn festival to children, especially underprivileged ones.
A charitable programme entitled “Mid-Autumn Festival warm with human love” was held on the evening of September 13 at Bo De Pagoda - home of 100 orphans - by the Business Forum newspaper and website www.webtretho.com to share sincere sympathy with unfortunate children.
In addition to receiving gifts, children enjoyed art performances, played traditional games and met with two moon fairies - the buffalo boy (Cuoi) and his sister (Hang). They enjoyed a warm festival in the same way as other children.
*** Despite bad weather, the Central Highland province of Gia Lai has organised diverse activities for children, especially those in remote areas and presented gifts worth VND100,000 each to more than 1,300 poor pupils.
*** The Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs in central Thua Thien – Hue province, in coordination with the Youth and Pioneer Centre, has held the Full Moon Festival for more than 1,000 underprivileged children at support centres. The provincial support fund for children and benefactors have presented gifts worth nearly VND60 million, 250 sweaters and 53 scholarships, including 32 scholarships, worth VND1.8 million each, to the poor, disabled and Agent Orange children.
The department has offered 250 gifts to children who are being treated at the Hue Central Hospital and poor ethnic minority children in A Ngo commune (A Luoi district) and Phong My commune (Phong Dien district).
*** The Solidarity Jeunesses Vietnam (SJ Vietnam), the Art Venture, the Youth Action for Peace and the Network of Volunteer Development in Asia have held a wide range of activities entitled Arte Diem for nearly 4,000 disabled children and orphans.
They hope to create a special and meaningful festival for unprivileged children who are being treated at the Hai Duong Support, Light Desire and For Tomorrow centres, and the Central Paediatrics Hospital as well as children living on boats along the Hong River, children with HIV, Nguyen Dinh Chieu School, Hoa Binh village, Bo De Pagoda and the Phuc Tue Centre. The Arte Diem programme will last for about two weeks until September 20. Children will enjoy a number of activities led by more than 30 foreign artists and other Vietnamese volunteers.
*** Luong Nhu Hoc and Phu Dinh Streets in Ho Chi Minh City have become strikingly colourful during the Mid-Autumn festival with many star shaped paper lanterns, and other toys for children.
*** Every Mid-Autumn festival, Hang Luoc, Hang Ngang, Hang Dao and Hang Ma in Hanoi’s Old Quarter are crowded and the full moon market looks brilliantly colourful with different kinds of lanterns imported from China, star- shaped paper lanterns, toys and decorations.
