Ninth grader Lê Huy Tuấn talks to Canadian consul general Kyle Nunas at the consulate in HCM City on February 19. — VNS Photo Thu Hằng

HCM CITY — Lê Huy Tuấn, a HCM City ninth grader, on Wednesday won a competition called “Consul General of Canada for a Day” in HCM City.

As the winner, he met with consul general Kyle Nunas and his staff and learnt how a consulate functions.

He and three runners-up also joined a roundtable discussion with five accomplished women leaders and had a chance to talk to them about gender equality and empowerment of women and girls.

Tôn Nữ Thị Ninh, president of the HCM City Peace and Development Foundation, Hoàng Thị Minh Hồng, founder of CHANGE, Nguyễn Phi Vân, chairperson of the Saigon Innovation Hub, Võ Phương Quỳnh, business development and partnership director of Zone Startups Vietnam, and Nguyễn Thị Bích Hà, deputy president of HAWEE, were the women leaders joining the discussion.

The competition was launched in December by the consulate for HCM City students from grades eight through 12 with a strong interest in global issues.

Participants had to write an essay on the theme “Each for Equal” to mark International Women’s Day.

The competition, held for a third year, aims to engage Vietnamese students on issues related to women’s advancement, gender equality and empowerment of women and girls. — VNS