VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam’s largest expatriate women’s group, the Hanoi International Women’s Club (HIWC) will hold its Annual Charity Bazaar later this month. It will be the group’s 25th Bazaar and it takes place in HIWC’s 30th birthday year.

Good cause: HIWC’s Bazaar 2015 attracted over 8,000 visitors and raised $107,000 for charity organisations supporting Viet Nam’s women and children.

Renowned particularly throughout Ha Noi capital, HIWC’s Bazaar has become a much-anticipated annual community event, international food fair and family fun day. This year’s event, with the theme Winter Wonderland, is taking place on Sunday 27th November at St Paul American School - Splendora, Hoai Duc from 10am - 4pm.

Participating in the festive event, 43 embassies and community groups will be serving up delicious cultural dishes and their typical traditional handicrafts. Visitors can also treat themselves to great shopping: spectacular clothes, candles, organic cosmetic, homeware, crafts, fair trade and gift items will be on sale from more than 50 different retailers.

Furthermore, there will be musical entertainment par excellence with performances from Korean Opera star Sung Min Park and famous Vietnamese concert pianist, Trang Trinh, the Hanoi Brass Band, all-women string quartet Apaixonado, rockers The Electric Yard Dogs and the African Band.

“We work hard to bring together the Ha Noi community - expatriate and Vietnamese - for friendship, fun and cultural exchange” says Gill Lever, the President of HIWC. “And we put so much effort into our bazaar because we are passionate about raising funds to help improve the lives of Ha Noi’s most vulnerable women and children.”

Lever continues, “The HIWC is a group of 450 expatriate women and men from nearly 70 different nations. We meet regularly to socialise, exchange experiences and explore the city we are privileged to live in. But in addition, our members feel strongly that we should support women and children less fortunate than ourselves and raising funds at the bazaar is how we realise this ambition.”

This year’s Bazaar Coordinator, Mrs Phan Hoang Ha added, “We are inviting everybody in Ha Noi to join us at HIWC’s 25th Annual Charity Bazaar. We really have worked hard to ensure we have something that will delight everyone - young or old, male or female, foreign or Vietnamese. It’s an event not to be missed!”

Ticket prices are as follows:

Adults: VND150,000 (US$6.80) pre-sale or VND200,000 ($9) at the gate and for children (aged 3- 12 years): VND50,000 ($2.20).

Tickets can be purchased online via Ticketbox or from The Moose and Roo, Emporium, Oasis, J.A.F.A., ClickSpace, St Paul American School, British International School, Concordia International School, Hanoi International School, Starfish International Kindergarten, Hanoi International Kindergarten and UMA’s Quan Thanh store.

Last year, HIWC’s Bazaar attracted over 8,000 visitors and raised $107,000 for charity organisations supporting Viet Nam’s women and children. Many activities that promote women and children’s rights have been implemented by HIWC in the past few years like granting Vision awards to honour Vietnamese women with significant contributions to society.

Members of HIWV have also conducted many charity programmes, like financially supporting 258 children’s ear operations, and opening café The Optimistic in Ha Noi’s Gia Lam District – a forum for HIV/AIDS patients.

VNS