Viet Nam’s children voice approval

A seminar on literature and art for children opens today, October 2, in Hanoi reviewing the results of the Children's Voice project in Viet Nam.

The three-year project has been jointly implemented by the Youth Theatre and the Swedish International Theatre Institute (ITI) since 2007.

As one of three theatres in Viet Nam to undertake the project, the Youth Theatre has produced a series of plays for children such as Friendship, The Hunter Is Trapped and Three Little Pigs.

The plays have brought joy to children, inspiring them with compassion and teaching them not to be cruel.

With the sponsorship of the Swedish Children's Voice project, the theatre brings children's plays and musicals to the National Paediatrics Hospital and the Tam Hiep Cancer Hospital in Ha Noi.

Hundreds of very poor and sick children from all regions of northern Viet Nam have enjoyed wonderful performances in hospital, according to Que Mai, leader of Making Dreams Come True Voluntary Group.

Between 2007 and 2008, the theatre offered 197 free performances to over 100,000 children, and disadvantaged children in Ha Noi and remote and mountainous areas in the north.

The audiences of children, parents and teachers are very happy with the theatre performances at schools and kindergartens.

In addition to the drama there are often circus and song performances, according to actress Le Khanh.

"The children love our plays because they are different from a teacher telling a story. They have had too few opportunities to see actors on stage. They can even participate in the performances," she said.

Seminars and training courses have been held to train 60 young artists and 70 teachers from primary schools and kindergartens about the educational value of theatre by the Swedish experts.

The ITI has also co-operated with the HCM City Drama Theatre and Mini Theatre to expand the project to HCM City.

ITI, an international non-governmental organisation, was founded in 1948 by UNESCO and members of the international theatre community to promote international exchanges and cultural understanding through the performing arts.

ITI has run the Children's Voice project in Asia since 2004, with financial support from the Swedish International Development Co-operation Agency (SIDA).

"We are very happy to be able to co-operate with these theatrical institutions in Viet Nam," said Nygren Christina, manager of Children's Voice Project.

The project aims to reach out to poor and under-privileged children, and those who usually have never seen theatrical activities, to enrich their lives and to strengthen their self-esteem, to stand up and raise their voices, she said.