Launching the Hoan Nguyen Creative Cultural Space and the project "donating 1 million bowls of pho to international tourists"

On December 16th, at the Hoan Nguyen Living Art Space – a new creative cultural space located in Thong Nhat Park – an event was held to introduce the project "Donating 1 million bowls of pho to international tourists" and the community music project "Where Love Begins". This is a series of projects by international viola artist Nguyet Thu.

Viola artist Nguyet Thu performs at Hoan Nguyen Living Art Space. Photo: HL

The Hoan Nguyen Living Art Space, located within Thong Nhat Park, is a project implemented by Skycom Vietnam Trading & Investment Joint Stock Company and led by international viola artist Nguyet Thu. It is designed as a creative space offering a comprehensive range of activities, combining culinary experiences, cultural exchange, and artistic performances with educational and community-based experiences.

International viola artist Nguyet Thu stated that the launch of the "Hoan Nguyen Living Art Space" aims to create a healthy cultural environment, fostering the intersection of performing arts, living arts, and creativity, with the goal of building an open, multi-faceted art space that connects professional performances with educational activities and community experiences.

Sharing about the name, artist Nguyet Thu said, "Hoan Nguyen" means rebirth, returning to one's true self. The Hoan Nguyen art space will be a place where visitors can not only experience art but also find moments of relaxation for themselves.
The Hoan Nguyen Living Art Space implements diverse activities in the fields of culture, art, and traditional cuisine, including: art performances, musical exchanges; introducing and promoting traditional dishes such as Hanoi pho and other unique culinary delights. In addition, it will organize cultural experience activities for the community and domestic and international tourists.

Alongside the launch of the Hoan Nguyen Living Art Space, viola artist Nguyet Thu also introduced the project "Giving away 1 million bowls of Hoan Nguyen Pho to foreign tourists," starting on December 16th and lasting for three consecutive months. The project aims to spread the value of Hanoi pho – a symbol of traditional Vietnamese cuisine – to the domestic and international communities, contributing to the promotion of Vietnamese culture to the world .

According to artist Nguyet Thu, from her 26 years of living and studying abroad, she has noticed that pho – a dish embodying the soul of Vietnam – is being successfully marketed in many countries by foreigners. The project "Giving away 1 million bowls of Hoan Nguyen Pho to foreign tourists" aims to introduce Hanoi's pho heritage to tourists more widely, thereby contributing to promoting the capital's friendly, hospitable, and high-quality tourism. Accordingly, any international visitor to the Hoan Nguyen Living Art Space will be able to enjoy pho for free. The project will run for three months, starting from December 16, 2025.

Artist Nguyet Thu shared details about the project "1 million bowls of pho for international tourists," which started on December 16th. Photo: HL

“The core of the ‘1 Million Bowls of Hoan Nguyen Pho’ project is the emphasis on cleanliness, quality assurance, and the prestige of this traditional dish when introducing it to international tourists. This is not just a culinary story, but also a way to preserve and elevate the value of Vietnamese culture in the context of integration,” shared artist Nguyet Thu. The project, “Giving 1 Million Bowls of Hoan Nguyen Pho to Foreign Tourists,” is expected to be registered for a Guinness World Record.

Also on this occasion, Skycom Vietnam and artist Nguyet Thu simultaneously introduced the community music project "Where Love Begins." This project has a profound humanitarian purpose, using the power of healing music to support autistic children and vulnerable groups. At the event, a fundraising program was officially launched to call on society to join hands in creating positive values.

The team will organize live music performances in hospitals to boost the morale and mood of patients, their families, and healthcare staff.

The community music project "Where Love Begins" will be implemented at Bach Mai Hospital and the Palliative Care Unit of the Oncology Hospital. For artist Nguyet Thu, what makes her proud is not the size of the stage, but the fact that her music can contribute to balancing emotions and soothing the spirits of doctors, medical staff, and patients in the unique environment of the hospital.

“Bringing healing music through performances in hospitals is very meaningful; music has the ability to heal and improve mood, helping patients reduce pain and stress, and creating a relaxed, positive environment in the hospital. This is also the beauty of music that we want to promote,” shared artist Nguyet Thu.

International viola artist Nguyet Thu (born in 1973) comes from a family with a musical tradition; her father, Meritorious Artist Nguyen Van Thuong, was the founder of the viola discipline at the Hanoi Conservatory of Music (now the Vietnam National Academy of Music). She began playing the violin at the age of 6 and passed the entrance exam for the elementary level at the Hanoi Conservatory of Music at the age of 7 with top marks.

In the late 1990s, she became the first Vietnamese student to major in viola at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory (Russia).

From 1991 to 1999, she served as principal viola player in the XXI International Chamber Orchestra in Russia. In 1994, Nguyet Thu graduated with honors from a music secondary school and went on to enter the Tchaikovsky Conservatory with the highest score, becoming the first Vietnamese student to major in viola at the conservatory. After five years of study under Professor Yuri Abramovich Bashmet, she graduated with honors, becoming an internationally recognized viola artist and performing in many countries around the world.

After graduating, Nguyet Thu performed in many major concerts in 53 countries around the world.

Nguyệt Thu won the "Best Performance of J.C. Bach Music" award at the International Viola Competition in the UK from 1995–1997, and also participated in the "Glazunov" string quartet with Professor Belinsky from 1996 to 1999. From 2009 to 2011, Nguyệt Thu was a music teacher at the Mandeville School of Music (Singapore). She also holds two master's degrees in Arts Education from Russia and the Netherlands.

Upon returning to Vietnam, in addition to her artistic contributions, artist Nguyet Thu actively participated in charitable activities.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/ra-mat-khong-gian-van-hoa-sang-tao-hoan-nguyen-and-du-an-tang-1-trieu-bat-pho-cho-khach-du-lich-quoc-te-727062.html