The San Francisco – Ho Chi Minh City Sister City Committee on November 21 conferred awards on nine outstanding Vietnamese citizens for their contributions to the community and humanitarian activities in the country.

The lifetime achievement award in folk music was given to Prof. Tran Van Khe. Meanwhile, musician Pham Duy received the lifetime achievement award in Vietnamese music.

Other winners, Dang Thi Hoang Yen, Chairwoman of the Tan Tao Group and Prof. Doc. Nguyen Thi Kim Chuc, Deputy Head of the Family Medicine Department from the Hanoi Medical University won humanitarian awards for active participation in hepatitis B vaccination programmes.

In the field of literature and art, the literary award was presented to writer Tran Thuy Mai, author of many works that were translated into English, Japanese and French languages and adapted for movies.

Doc. Pham Hung Van, lecturer from the HCM City University of Medicine and Pharmacy received molecular biology award and doctor Truong Thin, President of HCM City’s Oriental Medicine and Acupuncture Associations who combined traditional and modern medicine got the medical award.

Initiated in 2011, these awards aim to honour individuals working in the fields of hepatitis B prevention, biology, medicine, community healthcare, literature and art and those with innovations serving the community./.