Foreigners and locals of all ages are welcome to join a competition meant to find handicraft souvenirs that will become the symbol of Ho Chi Minh City’s culture.

The competition, called the “2015 Hoa Sen (Lotus) Awards,” which kicked off on Wednesday, is jointly organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Handicraft and Wood Industry Association (HAWA) and the local Department of Tourism.

The contest is intended to seek outstanding souvenir designs to cater to domestic and international tourists’ demand in shopping for mementoes expressive of the southern metropolis’s culture and tourism features.  The winning designs will be used in foreign relation activities and international cultural exchanges.

Those interested can submit up to five entries, whether they live in Vietnam or elsewhere.

Entries can be products crafted from wood, rattans, bamboos, plastic, composite, paper and lacquer in either isolation or in sets.

According to the organizers, they are poised to work with local experts on culture, history and architecture next month to reach consensus on interpretations of the city’s cultural identity.

Details agreed on by the authorities will be available at giaihoasen.blogger.com and hoasen.wordpress.com.         Contestants can hand in their submissions from now to August 25 by sending them via post to 179 Nguyen Cu Trinh Street, District 1, or on HAWA’s website, www.hawa.com.vn.

The award presentation ceremony is scheduled to take place in September this year.

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