As of October this year, Ho Chi Minh City has established friendly and cooperative relationships with 58 localities worldwide, spanning all five continents. These sister cities serve as valuable resources and driving forces for the city’s development and global outreach.

In an effort to enhance and broaden the friendly and cooperative ties between Ho Chi Minh City and its twin cities worldwide, and in alignment with the goal of showcasing creativity and fostering foreign affairs, trade, cultural exchange, and engagement in global issues, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of External Relations, Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, the Ho Chi Minh City Business Association, and INSEE Cement Company have jointly organized the Ho Chi Minh City Friendship Symbol Design Contest.

The contest is endorsed by the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee.

Iconic creation - esthetic masterpiece

The competition offers a unique opportunity for people to engage in proposing, generating ideas, contributing innovative concepts, and even sketching designs for a symbolic project titled ‘Ho Chi Minh City - A Global City of Friendship.’

This symbol is designed to be customizable, as the city plans to continue establishing partnerships with various cities around the world, fostering relationships, enhancing connectivity, promoting mutual understanding, and contributing to a world of peace and improved friendship.

This iconic project is anticipated to serve as a visual centerpiece of the city, while also becoming a distinctive attraction within the tourism ecosystem in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City. The proposed location for this project is Lam Son Park, situated on Le Loi Boulevard, in front of the Municipal Theater.

The competition welcomes participants who are Vietnamese citizens, Vietnamese expatriates, foreigners dwelling in Vietnam, or foreigners living in regions that maintain friendly and cooperative ties with Ho Chi Minh City. Participation can be either individually or in groups.

VND100 million prize pool

The submission period for entries is from October 27 to December 27, 2023. Entries can come in diverse formats, including written articles, graphics, videos, presentations, artistic works, and projects, aiming to conceptualize symbol designs suitable for both present and future Ho Chi Minh City.

Participants can submit entries to bieutuonghuunghi@tuoitre.com.vn.

All relevant documents must be scanned and saved as soft copies in JPEG or PDF format before being attached in the email. The submission timestamp will be determined based on the time the email is sent.

The contest steering committee comprises officials from the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee overseeing the cultural sector, Tran Phuoc Anh, director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of External Relations, and Le The Chu, editor-in-chief of Tuoi Tre.

The professional council is composed of three members, with two representing the Ho Chi Minh City Association of Architects and the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports, and an expert in design and construction techniques.

The jury, expected to consist of five members, will be appointed by the municipal Department of External Relations and Tuoi Tre, making decisions in accordance with principles of impartiality, objectivity, and efficiency.

The contest offers one first prize valued at VND50 million (US$2,033), one second prize at VND25 million ($1,016), one third prize at VND10 million ($406), and five consolation prizes, each at VND3 million ($122).

The competition will culminate with an awards ceremony and conference, tentatively scheduled for the end of December. This event will provide an opportunity for leaders from the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, departmental officials, and experts in urban planning and architecture to engage with the contest’s award-winning contributors and readers, fostering discussions on the winning designs.

Creating a spirit of friendship for visitors

Ho Chi Minh City’s leadership places significant emphasis on the collaboration between the city and foreign localities, according to Tran Phuoc Anh, director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of External Relations.

Back in 2015, a high-level delegation from Ho Chi Minh City visited Busan, a long-standing twin city. During this visit, they installed a sizable rock in a friendship park, commemorating the friendly and cooperative relationship with Ho Chi Minh City, Anh said.

Similarly, in San Francisco, a city that has been twinned with Ho Chi Minh City since 1995, there is a symbol representing Ho Chi Minh City at the local airport.

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of External Relations envisions the construction of a symbolic project highlighting the city’s international cooperative relationships. This initiative aims to create a distinctive landmark, a unique characteristic, and a fresh feature that allow the city to connect with the world, Anh added.

This design is intended to be modifiable, as the number of friendly localities currently stands at 58, with the potential for expansion in the future.

Both local residents and international tourists visiting the project should experience the essence of friendship that this symbol embodies, potentially making it an outstanding photo-worthy location.

This iconic project is anticipated to be innovative, youthful, and distinctive, particularly through the application of technology, underscoring Ho Chi Minh City’s identity as a youthful, dynamic, and forward-looking metropolis, which is always oriented toward future development. Visitors will indeed feel a sense of friendship and camaraderie.

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