Closing Ceremony and Exhibitions of “Color Your Dream” project

After nearly 2 years of operation with 3 phases, on September 15th, 2022, Van Lang University held a ceremony to recap the results and display products in the community project "Color Your Dreams." This is an opportunity for sponsors and businesses to look back at the milestones of the project.

Starting since 2020, “Tô màu giấc mơ”- "Color Your Dreams" - the community project has achieved a number of impressive milestones while accompanying and spreading positive values to children at specialized schools in Ho Chi Minh City. The project was initiated by the Faculty of Architecture in collaboration with the Vietnam Campus Engage organization and Hy Vong Binh Thanh School for Children with hearing impairment, and was expanded to 7 specialized schools in Ho Chi Minh City with the mission of guiding and developing the specialized students with art skills. In particular, the project has created positive inspiration to society through teaching students with disabilities and intellectual disabilities but have a strong ability for art and architecture.

On September 15th 2022, Van Lang University held a ceremony to recap the project’s results and display products of season 3 of the project at Trinh Cong Son Hall. This is a chance for the project's sponsors and supporting companies to take a look back at the products and noteworthy milestones that the project has achieved. Through the project, students also express their gratitude and thanks to the sponsors, lecturers, and students of Van Lang University with wonderful and meaningful performances.

The "Color Your Dreams" project is a community project initiated by the Faculty of Architecture of Van Lang University since 2020. The project accompanied specialized schools in Ho Chi Minh City. With the success of the first phase, the university has expanded the project to a larger scale in phases 2 and 3. The project aims to not only support many specialized schools and spread positive values to the community but also help the community of disabled children to integrate into society.

The project offers opportunities for the students with hearing impairment and intellectual disabilities to access to the fields such as Art, Architecture, Music, Technology and Sports in order to develop their creativity by making the usable products in the practice lessons with the assistance of students from the Faculty of Architecture, Faculty of Fine Arts and Design, Faculty of Applied Arts, Faculty of Information Technology of Van Lang University.

Attending the closing ceremony of the community project - Color Your Dreams - were representatives of Van Lang University as well as sponsors, guests, and businesses.

On behalf of Van Lang University, there were Dr. Nguyen Dac Tam - Chairman of the School's Founding Council and Director of the Heritage Institute; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Thi My Dieu - President of Van Lang University; Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Lan (MSc.) - Principal of UTS South American International School; Dr. Tran Thanh Nhan - Vice President of Saigon Van Lang College; Ms. Tran Thi Thu Thuy - President of Van Lang University Union; Dr. Do Phu Vinh - Dean of the Faculty of Architecture; Dr. Mai Binh Duong - Dean of Faculty of Accounting and Auditing; Dr. Nguyen Van Thanh - Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Commerce; Dr. Tran Anh Tuan - Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Architecture; Dr. Nguyen Dac Thai – Vice Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts & Design; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Vu Phi Ho – Vice Dean of the Faculty of Foreign Languages; Dr. Bui Khac Vu - Vice Dean of the Faculty of Information Technology; Mr. Dinh Xuan Toa (MSc.) - Director of Van Lang University's Student Support Center, and lecturers from Van Lang University's Faculties/Institutes.

Regarding the sponsors, guests, businesses, there were Mr. Tran Khanh Trung - Vice President of Ho Chi Minh City Architects Association, Chief Architect of Architects company; Mr. Nguyen Chanh Phuong - General Secretary of Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts and Wood Processing Association; Mr. Hoang Xuan Nhat - Director of Alkaviva Vietnam Company Limited; Mr. Tran Thanh Quoc Bao - Director of Bao Uyen Sport Company Limited; Ms. Le Thi My Hong - Deputy Director of Vietinbank; Mr. Le Vu Hung - Founder of GoHo Group; Mr. Nguyen Hoang Phi - Design Director of Duc Hanh Group; Ms. Tran Thi My Dung - Head of Agribank Marketing Services Department and the presence of parents and sponsors.

In addition, the ceremony also had the participation of Mr. Thich Minh Niem, author of the two books "Understanding the Heart", "Working As If You’re Playing", singer Vo Ha Tram and a great number of students from 8 specialized schools in Ho Chi Minh City.

In the event, the organizers outlined the project's outstanding figures, including:

• In 2020, Color Your Dreams project, which was run by 5 professors, 17 students, and 33 collaborators from Van Lang University, brought to the hearing impairment children at Hy Vong Binh Thanh School the useful lessons to develop their drawing skills. Also, This project was very successful in raising 68 million VND in sponsorship and 113 million VND for Hy Vong Binh Thanh School for hearing impairment students.
• In March, 2021, from the beginning of phase 2, the project was given 35 million VND from business sponsorship, 22 million VND from an auction, 8 water purifiers with the price of 240 million VND, and 80 million VND for sports outfits for students at 8 specialized schools.
• From October to November 2021, during the Covid-19 pandemic, the project also received sponsorship of 320 million VND for Hy Vong Binh Thanh School. Lecturers and students at Van Lang University also helped 117 teachers at specialized schools with online lesson designing skills.
• At phase 3 from June to August 2022, the project received 160.5 million VND in sponsorship from businesses, 200 glass bottles from Brick House startup club.

In addition, Ms. Nguyen Hoang Thao Phuong (MSc.), accompanying the project, provided impressive statistics: 10 weeks of companionship, 280 kind-hearted supporters, 560 people, 5600 efforts, 11200 happy smiles... These wonderful numbers indicate numerous meaningful acts throughout the phases of the project.

According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Thi My Dieu - President of Van Lang University: "The project's statistics represent the community’s meaningful activities within the project framework. Together, we have created a colorful project, helping children at specialized schools to develop their strengths and create quality products, both physically and mentally. Despite difficulties during the pandemic, “Color Your Dreams” project was successfully conducted and brought the incredible and meaningful results to the students of specialized school in particular and the society in general thanks to the dedicated monitoring of the School's Board of Directors, businesses, accompanying units, and sponsors, particularly Ms. Nguyen Hoang Thao Phuong (MSc.).

Pham Thi Mai, an eighth-grader at Hy Vong Binh Thanh School, spoke on behalf of students from 8 specialized schools to express her sincere gratitude to the lecturers and sponsors: "I would like to express my sincere thanks to the project, teachers, and sponsors who cared for us a lot during our learning journey and creating meaningful products. Despite our limitations and difficulties with communication and transportation, we constantly strive to improve ourselves to have a positive impact on society. In the future, I hope the project will continue to help us learn new knowledge and skills.

Hopefully, with the help of sponsors, businesses, and especially students and lecturers from Van Lang University, challenging circumstances can be conquered with love and support.

In the event, works made by students with the support of Van Lang students were exhibited at the main campus of Van Lang University.

Hoang Yen