Nick Vujicic, the inspirational Australian speaker without arms or legs, will return to Vietnam in May to attend two gala nights honouring people with disabilities.

The news was released at a press conference in Hanoi on April 2 launching the event, which will celebrate people who have overcome hardships to reap success in life. The event is reviewing a programme launched last November called “Toa sang nghi luc Viet” (Shining, energetic Vietnamese people).

Since he was born, Vujicic has suffered from Tetra-amelia syndrome, a rare autosomal recessive congenital disorder characterised by the absence of all four limbs.

However, he has overcome this to become an internationally successful speaker, delivering more than 1,600 speeches to millions of people around the world.

The gala nights, scheduled for Ho Chi Minh City on May 21 and Hanoi on May 24, aim to instill passion for work and study in the community, especially among those with disabilities. The message was a focal point of Vujicic’s speeches during his trip to Vietnam last year.

The event will honour 20 people who have not let their disabilities illnesses prevent them from leading successful lives.

Launched in Hanoi, Nghe An, Da Nang, Nha Trang, Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho, the “Toa sang nghi luc Viet” programme has received a warm response from tens of thousands of students nationwide, helping raise their awareness of living honestly, responsibly and energetically.-VNA