The handing over of Spratly Islands map made of coffee bean of Me Trang coffee corporation for the Museum of the Institute of Oceanography

12/12/2011

On June 16th, at the Institute of Oceanography, the institute received a Spratly Islands map made from a coffee bean from the Me Trang coffee corporation. On the Khanh Hoa province side, Mr. Nguyen Van Hoa, Deputy Head of the Khanh Hoa provincial Department of Culture and Information; Mr. Luong Kien Dinh, a member of the Khanh Hoa Standing Committee, editor-in-chief of Khanh Hoa newspaper; Mr. Luong The Hung, the president of the board of directors, the director of the Me Trang coffee corporation attended the ceremony. Guests included Mr. Nguyen Chu Hoi, deputy head of the seas and islands department, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment; Mr. Le Viet Duyen, deputy head, ASEAN Secretariat, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and leaders from the Institute of Oceanography.

In 2010, staff from the Me Trang coffee corporation had an idea to make a map of Spratly Islands from Vietnamese coffee bean. In early March 2011, Me Trang coffee corporation completed procedures and conditions confirming the accuracy of the map. From May 25th , Me Trang coffee corporation worked with the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Association, painter Nguyen Anh Vu, over 200 students from universities in Khanh Hoa province and representatives from social classes to participate in the making of the map. Spratly Islands map was completed within 14 days by best coffee beans, measured at 18 square metres and weighing some 600 kilograms. The map was shown at the Vietnam 2011 Sea and Island Week and Sea Festival. The making of the map was recognized in Vietnam’s Guinness.

Me Trang corporation hopes that this map will attract attention and more investment in Spratly Islands. The map also shows the love and encouragement of people from the mainland for soldiers who are spending days and nights facing difficulties to protect the islands. The Spratly Islands map is a profound message of territorial sovereignty and on Spratly Islands district. This is a message that Vietnam wants to send to foreign tourists as well as international friends.

Translated by Tuyet Nhung

Link to Vietnamese version