HÀ NỘI — An essay entitled Denmark-Where Happiness Rests, written by 9th grade student Phạm Tâm Đan from Nguyễn Siêu High School, has won the grand prize in the Denmark in Your Eyes creative writing contest.

Danish Ambassador Charlotte Laursen and the Chairman of the Viet Nam-Denmark Friendship Association (VIDAFA) and Minister for Environment and Natural Resources, Trần Hồng Hà, announced the names of the winners at a ceremony in the Danish ambassador’s residence earlier this week.

This is the first writing held by the Danish embassy and VIDAFA, in celebration of the 45th anniversary of Viet Nam–Denmark diplomatic relations.

Đan will be awarded a two-week scholarship at the prestigious Niels Brock Business School in Copenhagen, Denmark.

“I am very surprised and honoured to receive the prize with other students. I would like to express my sincere thanks to both the Danish embassy and VIDAFA for giving me an opportunity to learn about Denmark, a country that I have not had chance to visit,” she said.

According to Ambassador Laursen, Phạm Tâm Đan’s essay captured the essence of Denmark - mutual trust - and touched the judges.

“I hope that Đan will enjoy her stay at Niels Brock Business School in Copenhagen and that the embassy will have a chance to repeat such contests in the future,” she said.

“Surprisingly, not many students entering the contest have had the chance to visit Denmark or meet the characters in fairy tales by Hans Christian Andersen, but they have such a rich knowledge about the country’s culture, people and other aspects of life, which they have demonstrated through their writing,” Minister Hà said.

“I believe that many students in Việt Nam will choose Denmark as their destination to study overseas in the coming years, and they will be ambassadors connecting Việt Nam and Denmark.”

Students in 9th through 12th grades participated in the Denmark in Your Eyes contest at three schools, Nguyễn Siêu, Đoàn Thị Điểm, and Vinschool in Hà Nội. They were to submit photos of Denmark, either captured by themselves or from other sources, and an essay in English explaining why the photo they chose had inspired and linked them to Denmark.

Apart from the grand prize, awards were also given to the first and second runner ups, as well as three honorary prizes.

The Embassy of Denmark in Hà Nội also announced the establishment of the Denmark–Viet Nam Alumni Network.

The Denmark-Viet Nam Alumni Network is expected to foster the development of long lasting and diverse relationships between the two countries through people-to-people contacts and conduct activities relevant to its members in fields such as education, research, culture, and career-development opportunities, according to Ambassador Laursen. — VNS