Hmong fashion show unveils new talent
A 16-year-old beauty, Ms Yer Vang, won first prize at a Hmong fashion
show held in Xaythany district in Vientiane over the weekend.

The well presented and intelligent Ms Yer is a member of the well-
known performance group Nasala, which explains her excellent singing,
dancing and stage presence.

Audience members were captivated by her beautiful voice when she sang
the traditional song Khubthoum , bestowing praises on government
leaders in her mother tongue...more info and photos >>

Ms Yer also won the popular vote from the audience in addition to
being awarded first place by the judges.

Over two nights, audiences flocked to enjoy the spectacular fashion
show and performances of traditional Hmong dancing and singing.

Thirty-one participants from the district were selected to take part
in the show by showcasing traditional Hmong clothing and culture,
while competing for prizes.

Ms Chua Her, a 17-year-old participant taking a course in
environmental studies at the National University of Laos, said after a
month of rehearsals and preparation she had learnt how to live
alongside different people and express and share ideas and feelings.



She decided to take part in the show because she wanted to entertain
people with her singing and dancing skills.

“I felt so excited about performing on stage with friends in front of
a crowd. I believe the show has helped build up my confidence and
ability,” Ms Chua Her said.

A highlight of the event was a group dance involving all participants
dressed in traditional Hmong costumes that originated from Luang
Prabang, Xieng Khuang and Huaphan provinces.

Various community groups from Xaythany district were invited to
entertain audiences with singing and dancing performances during the
event.

Xaythany District Governor Bounthong Phommachan said the fashion show
was held to coincide with the Hmong New Year which occurs next month,
and aimed to promote tourism in the district.



“We spent a lot of effort and resources to organise this show because
we want to preserve and encourage Hmong culture, so people in Laos and
foreign countries can learn more about Hmong people and their customs
and traditions,” he said.

“Their performances on stage will provide much pride for Hmong people
and encourage them to preserve and promote their cultural identity.”
Mr Bounthong hoped the success of the event would encourage other
ethnic groups to organise similar shows to preserve their cultures.

Organisers hope the event will became an annual affair.

By Vientiane Times
More photos at
http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?forumID=98894&p=3&topicID=22755395

(KPL) The Lao girls’ dream of walking on Miss Universe’s stage may become true by selecting at the National Beauty Contest before going to international stage, said an official.

Mrs Soudala Chanthavithong, Deputy Chief of Media and Culture Department, Lao Women’s Union, spoke at a press conference on 2007 Miss Apone Lao Beauty Selection Contest last Friday.

The 2007 Miss Apone Lao Beauty Contest Project is a part of disseminating the Lao culture to outdoor and promoting valuable culture as much as possible...more

The previous contest has been held by the Lao Women’s Union and the K & C Company.

The project is running till 2010.More than 50 people from Lao Media, representatives of Lao Brewery Company, K&C Company, Lao Women’s Union took place at the press conference on 2007 Miss Apone Lao Beauty Selection Contest, under the sponsorship of the Lao Brewery Company.“

Once day we do hope that Lao girls’ dream may become true if all of them are supported by society, however they must be self-confident with knowledge, ability of performances and talent, all of them should be the first thing before reaching achievement,” said Mrs Soudala.

Meanwhile observers believed that Miss Apone Lao Contest Project is very important to the economic and social development involve in entertainment, fashion or even dressing style and to raise the reputation of country to overseas.

The 2nd round of 2007 Miss Apone Lao Beauty Selection held in early this month, as a result has already got 50 girls out of 350 candidates across the country.

The 2007 Miss Apone Lao Selection Contest was co-hosted by four provinces of Vientiane Capital, Luang Prabang, Savannakhet and Champassak provinces to search the most beautiful Lao girls.

Source: kpl.net.la

A Singaporean student who believes that Asean schools should offer safe sex education as part of their teaching curriculum has won first place in the Young Speakers Contest in Vientiane .

According to an announcement of the judging committee of the contest, released on Tuesday at the Farewell Dinner for the Participants of the 9 th Educational Forum and Young Speakers Contest at the Cosmo Hotel in Vientiane , Ms Crystella Prathap, a Singaporean university student, took first place in the competition, receiving a cash prize of US$ 1,000.

Ms Prathap is a young student who strongly expressed her opinion that safe sex education would be the best way to reduce numbers of people in the region infected with HIV/AIDS.

She explained that when people know the way to prevent the disease, they apply that knowledge and avoid becoming infected with incurable diseases, according to a member of judging committee, the Acting Dean of the Faculty of Letters, Associate Prof. Dr Buasavanh Keovilay, one of the judges.

The judge said the first winner argued that Asian students should never be shy about talk about HIV/AIDS prevention....read more >>

“I asked the winner to talk about the fact that some people in Asean nations consider HIV/AIDS prevention a taboo issue in society. Does she think the introduction of such curriculum would encourage young people to have more love affairs?” she recalled.

The winner responded well, saying that since it was impossible to prevent young people from engaging in love affairs, the only way to is to tell them how to protect themselves, according to Dr Buasavanh.

“She answered that the curriculum will not encourage students to have love affairs but will tell them how to protect themselves from infection with HIV/AIDS,” she added, quoting the winner's answer.

The second and third places in the annual contest went to Filipino university student Mr Kikko Angelo Ramos, who received an award of US$500 and Singaporean university student Ms Ling Pei Shan, who received US$250.

The topic of the contest was “One Asean at the Heart of Dynamic Asia”. In the second round, contestants were given a different topic. Each had some time to prepare their presentation before they spoke in front of the judging committee.

Dr Buasavanh said that the Singaporean and Philippine contestants were advantaged among the students from other Asean nations because as they speak English as their official language, while students from other nations speak English as a foreign language.

“These students do not only speak English well but they also come up with critical thinking and vision,” she said.

Dr Buasavanh said that the Lao contestant was selected from among the best students in the English Department of the Faculty of Letters, but was shy about presenting her ideas in public and did not have a str ong vision.

She said Lao students needed to learn a lot about how to speak in public and how to present logical reasons to convince the public about what they believed in.

A member of the contest's organising committee, Dr Alongkone Saignaleuth said the National University of Laos had been a competitor in the contest since it began in 1997. A Lao student took second place in the contest two years ago in the Philippines , he said.

By Ekaphone Phouthonesy

More photos, click here

Miss Lao Charity Quest or Nang Sangkharne pageant is held annually by the Lao Community in Sydney, Australia. The aims were to select Miss Sungkharne for the Lao new year celebration, raising fund for The Lao Sunday school, creating awareness to the younger Lao generation about our beautiful Lao culture and tradition, any boys and girls can take part in this event.

Every Miss Sangkharne has her own partner as well as a flower girl (not shown on the photos) that’s why it was mentioned earlier that any boys and girls can take part in this event, after all, it’s for everyone to get involve, although we are mostly emphasis on Miss Sangkharne, that is Nang Sangkharne all about but the boys and the flower girls are worth mentioning. Lots effort and dedication, not to mention numerous of hours were put into it to make the event happen. Miss Sangkharne pageant cannot be operated without the love and support from their family especially the parents, friends and relatives to be involved in the whole process or event

All of Miss Sangkharnes are winners in their own right, they all beautiful, they have won the hearts and minds of the audience as well as the Lao community as a whole.

Apart from taking part, they also get to learn more about Lao culture, tradition, feeling proud to be able to do something useful for the Lao Community, by the time the Lao new year celebration is over, they will be gaining lots of Laotian friends, self confidence, learning Lao tradition, and the most important thing of all was gaining more Laotian friends along the way. That's why everyone is a winner.
I was fortunate to be the official photographer for the night to capture this wonderful event on photos to share them with you. This shows that Lao people in Australia are still strongly believed in preserving Lao way of life and tradition which has been carried on by many generations. It’s up to us all to keep this wonderful tradition vibrant and alive.

I wish to thank the Lao Community, the participants and everyone who have made this event possible for us all to see.