H’Hen Nie, 27, who belongs to the Ede community, is the first Miss Vietnam from an ethnic minority group.

Local villagers used tractors to welcome H’Hen Nie and take her to the place where the festivities were held.

H’Hen Nie said she wants to preserve traditions and improve the living standards of local people during a visit to her village in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak early this week. She enthusiastically joined the villagers to participate in a cultural and sports festival.

The local authorities had organized several fun events including football games, tug-of-war and sack races. H’Hen Nie joined thousands of spectators in cheering the contestant.

H’Hen Nie pounded rice grains with older women in the village.

She was returning from Thailand after finishing as a top 5 contestant at the Miss Universe 2018 pageant, one of the grandest beauty contests in the world. She is the first Vietnamese woman to claim that spot in a Miss Universe contest.

By joining folk dances and traditional games, H'Hen Nie said she wanted to contribute to preserving disappearing traditional customs in Central Highlands villages. She spent an afternoon and evening with residents of her village.

H’Hen Nie pounded rice grains with older women in the village. This is a common activity in the area after they harvest. "When I stayed at home I was so strong, I could pound 2-3 kilograms of rice at a time. I haven't done this for a long time now, my arms are tired," H’Hen Nie said as she pounded the rice.

She had advocated funding the construction of roads, provision of electricity and clean water for residents of her people in her village.

H’Hen Nie encouraged parents to let their children wear traditional clothes of the Ede ethnic group to attend a campfire with her.

H’Hen Nie also awarded some scholarships to disadvantaged ethnic minority students to continue their studies. "Because, if they do not go to school, they will stay at home to get married," H’Hen Nie said.

"My mom did not force me to get married early so I had the opportunity to go further on my career path." she said. "My mother also told me that for the money I made today without spending too much effort, I should share it with those in greater difficulties than me."

Vietnam enters world top 5 beauty rankings 2018

With the good performance of H'Hen Nie, Phuong Khanh and Minh Tu, Vietnam ranked in the top five of international beauty rankings for the first time.

 

Vietnamese women shine at world beauty pageants in 2018

 

 

Vietnam ‘filled with beauty at every turn’: travel website

U.S.-based Go Overseas website has ranked Vietnam eighth in its list of top 10 travel destinations for 2019.

 

Photo contest spotlights Vietnam’s beauty

An award ceremony was held in Hanoi on December 20 to honor the winners of a photo contest introducing Vietnam’s charm, which was launched by Nhan Dan (The People) newspaper’s television channel.

 

Vietnamese beauty contestant to show off most beautiful old woman

Minh Tu, representing Vietnam at the Miss Supranational 2018 in Poland, will wear a costume featuring iconic photo ‘Hidden Smile’.

 

Source: VnExpress