From realising the most ambitious programme of events we’ve ever put on to making friends with a talented ceramic artist.

It could be said that it is a tradition in Vietnam for other countries to organise a week of activities relating to their culture whether it be focused around national food, films, music or an education fair. However when we began planning a festival of UK Culture and Education for 2001 no one realised that we would eventually fill one and a half months with activities and events.  Called Education, Culture UK, this celebration and showcase of the best of UK culture and education and UK/Vietnam partnerships was by far the most ambitious programme of events we had ever put together here.  Its centrepiece was the Education UK exhibitions in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City attended by 30 UK universities and colleges (double the number of the first education exhibition the previous year). The events spanned all the sectors we work in such as English language training and exams, with tremendously popular and overcrowded open days at our two offices with teaching showcases and Information services with a book exhibition showcasing the latest trends in UK lifestyles. The Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra and Colin Metters started the festival at the Hanoi Opera House and later in the month jazz singers Claire Martin and Ian Shaw wooed audiences there (and the Opera House in Ho Chi Minh City too) with their unique blend of jazz and romantic songs. Then we brought out Claire’s jazz quartet who played the opening performance at the first ever European Union Jazz Festival at the Youth Theatre.  To maintain our tradition of screening at least one UK film every year we also showed the romantic love story Land Girls directed by David Leland.

Launch of UK Alumni Vietnam

We took advantage of the Education Culture UK festival to launch the Alumni Association for all Vietnamese people who have studied in the UK and we called it UK Alumni Vietnam (UKAV). With launches in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, a new exhibition called Snapshot UK of photographs of alumni in the UK graced the opening receptions. Ever since, with the launch of its own website and newsletter, KITE, membership has grown steadily with over 700 alumni who studied in the UK from 1977 to 2003 now registered members. Chaired by Hoang Van Dung, an old friend of the British Council from one of our long term partners, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, UKAV now has a vibrant programme of events and is the largest network of people who have been to the UK in Vietnam.

Cause and Effect

Although not a large-scale exhibition, design showcase Cause and Effect, which examines why people want to become designers with a variety of UK design icons, proved popular with designers and visitors alike because it captured the spirit of the great surge of creativity in all areas of design in Vietnam from graphic, fashion, to computer and product design.  It also marked a milestone for us as it was the first ever design exhibition we’ve ever organised in Vietnam.  At the same time we invited Vietnamese designers and companies to participate by showcasing their own work side by side with Cause and Effect.  

Dynamic ceramics

Phu Lang Nhung is a very special ceramic artist. Hailing from the famous pottery village Phu Lang, Nhung adds his own ideas to already well established pottery traditions and creates pieces that embody the heart and soul of Vietnam. Since winning the British Council sponsored prize for innovation in the Golden Hands competition run by the Hanoi Industrial Fine Arts University, Nhung has gone on to more success not only in his ceramics but with his timeless oil paintings too. He continues to work in Phu Lang and is a regular visitor to our office in Hanoi. We have recently commissioned him to make some ceramic pieces celebrating the new British Council brand.  

Also in 2001

Photo exhibition entitled ‘Light Life and Love UK’ featuring Vietnamese photographers’ view of the UK held in Hanoi

First annual conference for VTTN network

British boarding schools information day held by six prestigious UK schools.

Did  you know?

Singer Ian Shaw is a great fan of Chinese chess (Co tuong) and within hours of getting off the plane from the UK he was to be found in Cat Linh Street playing on the pavement with a group of Vietnamese players.