The lotus came out on top in the running for the national flower during the flower exhibition held in Hanoi on January 25-30.
As many as 62.2% of visitors at the event, which took place at the Vietnam Exhibition Centre for Culture and Arts, voted for the pink lotus. The flowers lead jumped ahead of the earlier results of 46.9%, which were collected from online message boards and forums.
Speaking at the event was Le Tien Tho, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism. He said the ministry will further support such exhibitions in the central and southern regions to gauge peoples opinions on the issue.
Together with the exhibitions, the ministry is setting up a website: www.quochoavietnam.com.vn where you will be able to vote online. Tho disclosed that he himself had voted for pink lotus.
Painter Tran Khanh Chuong, Chairman of the Vietnam Fine Art Association, said, “It is not surprise that lotus received the most votes. In my opinion, this flower has long been unofficially recognised as a symbol in Vietnamese literature. It is appropriate to Vietnam’s culture and history.”
The campaign to select Vietnam’s national flower was launched in April 2010. Other candidates included the yellow apricot, bamboo, the peach blossom, areca, the orchid tree, rice flowers and the waterlily.
Dantri has host a referendum on the issue at http://dantri.com.vn/87/150/binh-chon.htm. Initial results from January 20-29 showed that up to 79% of readers voted for pink lotus. The online newspaper continues to collect public opinion.
Images of the exhibition in Hanoi:
Miss Vietnam Mai Phuong Thuy
Dantri/DTiNews referendum
Pink lotus exhibition
