A project, with the theme “Clean Environment – Green Planet,” to paint the outside wall of American Club at 19-21 Hai Ba Trung street, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi, is being co-held by the US Embassy in Hanoi and local non-governmential organization Arts Build Communities (ABC).

A project themed “Clean Environment – Green Planet,” to paint the outside wall of American Club at 19-21 Hai Ba Trung street is underway. Photo: The US Embassy in Hanoi

To mark the 25th anniversary of the US - Vietnam relations, this project started launching on December 23 and will be completed by January 15, 2021.

This environment-focused mural was jointly designed by Vietnamese-American artist Christine Nguyen and four Vietnamese female artists led by artist Ta Thu Huong of ABC.

Covering an area of approximately 100 square meters, the mural seeks to raise awareness about the importance of protecting the environment by featuring vividly painted fauna and flora.

At the launch event, Counselor for Public Affairs Pam DeVolder stated that despite logistical difficulties brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, “American and Vietnamese artists collaborated virtually to finalize the design and successfully bring the project to fruition,” she said.

Ms. DeVolder said that the mural is another concrete example of the US’ steadfast resolve to work with Vietnam in raising awareness about the environmental protection as well as the US strategy to combat illegal wildlife crime in Vietnam. 

“Through our International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) Program, and the USAID, the US provides more than US$30 million dollars each year to reduce consumer demand, strengthen wildlife law enforcement and prosecution, and improve the legal framework for combating wildlife crime,” she added.

Ms. DeVolder also joined Vietnamese artists and members of the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) in painting the mural project’s first strokes. Against the backdrop of the 25th anniversary of the US-Vietnam relations, this joint project serves to highlight the deepening US - Vietnam partnership and the ever-expanding people-to-people ties that exist between the US and Vietnam.