On January 30 (December 20 of the Lunar calendar), the Ho Chi Minh City Theater Association, together with the City Artists' Association and other departments and benefactors, organized a Tet gift giving ceremony for disadvantaged and lonely artists and stage workers in Ho Chi Minh City at the Artists' Retirement Center.

Artist Ngoc Dang was moved: "This may be the last year the gift giving program is held at the City Artists' Nursing Home, the house where many of my colleagues and I have been attached to for many years with many memories."

After Tet, 6 artists from the Nursing Home will move to a new home at Thi Nghe Nursing Home along with artists Mac Can and Huynh Thanh Tra. Recently, the passing of the late artist Le Tham has left many artists in mourning.

Speaking at the ceremony, director Ton That Can, Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh City Theater Association, said that on February 27 (after Tet), the veteran artists will be brought to Thi Nghe Nursing Home and this decision has been approved.

This is considered the last move for the artists, because of their old age and poor health, moving to Thi Nghe Nursing Home is more spacious and quiet, and the artists also receive better health care from doctors and nurses.

Artist Mac Can said that after many times of moving from rented houses, this is the last time he will live with his colleagues. "I am very happy to know that the artists still sing vọng cổ well. I am very happy to be near famous artists like Ngoc Dang, Dieu Hien... This place will be the place where I will return to for the rest of my life" - he confided.

Artists Mac Can, Ngoc Dang, Diem Kieu... were delighted to meet People's Artist Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy - Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Ho Chi Minh City, People's Artist Trinh Kim Chi - Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh City Theater Association, Head of the Ho Chi Minh City Artists' Association, People's Artist Phuong Loan, People's Artist Thanh Vy, comedians Nhat Cuong, Van Ruy...

This morning, January 31, 300 Tet gifts were given to artists and backstage workers in difficult circumstances.

According to People's Artist Trinh Kim Chi, despite a year of economic difficulties, philanthropists and artists still support Tet gifts for artists.

Of which, 150 gifts are for poor artists in difficult circumstances and 150 gifts are for workers and backstage staff of public and non-public stages.

In addition to the gifts, each artist in difficulty will receive a lucky money envelope worth 1.5 million VND and the staff and backstage staff will receive support of 500,000 VND.

To have this meaningful Tet gift giving program, in addition to the support of benefactors, the Department of Culture and Sports of Ho Chi Minh City also contributed 20 million VND, and artists in the US represented by artists Nhat Cuong and Van Ruy donated 62.5 million VND.