The national anthem, Tien Quan Ca (The Song of Advancing Soldiers), hasmore than once proved a rallying song for Vietnamese living abroad.
The song was written in 1944 by Van Cao (1923-95) and adopted as thenational anthem of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1945, and thenunified Socialist Republic of Vietnam in 1976, after the end of theanti- American war.
Accordingly, it was recently decidedto initiate a contest based on clips of people singing the anthem toencourage patriotism.
Le Tien Dat, a contest organisingmember and former student in France , told Vietnam News that he usedto be overcome by emotion whenever he visited the Vietnamese Embassy inParis during anniversary ceremonies.
"I felt differentto when I had to sing it in school," he said, "It proved immenselymoving singing our anthem so far from home."
Le Quang Vu,head of the seven-member organising team, said: "When I studied inRussia , security used to be so bad that we had to sing the anthem whengoing out at night for bravado."
Vu Truong Giang, anotherteam member, taught his children the song when they first becamecapable of singing, his five-year-old son understanding each and everyword.
Giang said he appreciated the video clips sent in byhearing-impaired students the most due to their use of sign languagesinging.
On the contest website (www.tienquanca.vn) afour-year-old girl stands solemnly in front of the national flag singingthe anthem loudly though still unable to pronounce the words correctly.
In another clip, a father plays the anthem with his harmonica while his son cheerfully waves his hands along with the rhythm.
"We want young people to feel proud when singing the heroic anthem," Vu said.
The team has invested a total of 120 million VND (6,000 USD) into thecompetition which is set to include prizes for the most voted videoclip, youngest competitor, the video clip recorded in the most suitableplace and the video clip with the most singers.
Historian Duong Trung Quoc and composer Quoc Trung will also form part of the jury.
Participants can send video clips of themselves singing the song to the organising committee no later than March 2012./.