The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has submitted to the Prime Minister for approval the outcomes of the national flower-selecting project, with lotus being the frontrunner candidate for the title, said the ministry’s spokesperson To Van Dong.

Pink lotus in Vietnam, Photo: Internet

The project has, since last year, been announced on the ministry’s website, sent to other ministries and made known to the public nationwide to collect opinions, he said.

According to a survey organized in 2011 by the ministry to poll public opinions about Vietnam’s national flower, lotus ranked first on the list with 71.1 percent of the 60,000 votes, followed by apricot with 18.16 percent, and peach with 6.71 percent.

The national flower must be chosen based on the following criteria: indigenous to Vietnam or having been grown in Vietnam for a long time; symbolic of the nation’s character, culture or spirit; beautiful and scented; frequently used and highly valued in art, literature, sculpture and architecture; and easily and popularly grown by most people, said the ministry, which has been assigned by the Prime Minister to chair the project. 

In Vietnam, lotus is a familiar flower to most people. It is respected for its noble and pure beauty and represents the Vietnamese people’s friendly nature, elegant style, and adaptability. Therefore, lotus deserves to be chosen as the national flower, the ministry said in a report to the Prime Minister. 

If lotus is approved by the Prime Minister as Vietnam’s national flower, the ministry will organize a ceremony to announce the country’s national flower and the first National Flower Festival in the capital, Dan Tri newswire reported. 

The ministry will then draw up regulations over the use of the national flower, organize a logo contest for it, and control activities that use, promote, and honor the flower at home and abroad.

Source: Tuoitrenews