An event to raise public awareness to the local lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender (LGBT) community will take place in Ho Chi Minh City on November 25.

Held by the Information Connecting and Sharing Center (ICS), an organization supporting for LGBT community’s rights, the Open Your Heart – Embrace Diversity event aims to honor the love between people as well as the diversity of people’s genders no matter they are heterosexuals, bisexuals or transgender people.

The event will feature music performances, games, meetings and exchanges with the participation of the local LGBT community and the Parents, Families, & Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PLAG) Vietnam. The highlight of the day will be a community dance performance on the background of Ben E. King’s song “Stand by me.” Open Your Heart – Embrace Diversity will be held from 2pm to 5pm at the HCMC Labor Culture Palace at 55B Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street in District 3.

Earlier in September, the ICS center also concluded its nationwide tour featuring a drama titled Duoc La Chinh Minh (To Be Myself) to support the local homosexual community. The play had received positive response from the LGBT community as well as LGBT people’s families and friends.

In related news, an exhibition titled “The Pink Choice”showcasing photos on the LGBT people’s daily life taken by young photographer Maika Elan has also drawn public attention.

The 26-year-old freelancer depicts via the 45 photographs displayed at the event her characters’ daily activities and their private moments by focusing on living spaces and how they care about each other, and enjoy the moments together.

“I want to show what I saw of homosexuals and not to show how they see themselves,” Maika said.