Quang Tri (4 April 2012)
MEDIA ADVISORY: Acclaimed American country music artist Mary McBride and her band are coming to Vietnam for a 10-day tour – to include one day in Quang Tri Province, near the former DMZ.
[clear]
TO: Vietnamese and International Media
EVENT: Free Concert in Quang Tri Province for landmine/UXO victims, review of Mine Action Projects
EVENT DATE: Monday, 09 April 2012
EVENT TIME: 2:00 p.m. concert
PLACE: Provincial Mine Action Visitor Center, Dong Ha Town, Quang Tri Province
Acclaimed American country music artist Mary McBride and her band are coming to Vietnam for a 10-day tour – to include one day in Quang Tri Province, near the former DMZ.
A news release from the U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City (linked below), dated 27 March 2012, announced that Mary and her band would entertain with free concerts in Ho Chi Minh City and the Hue Festival this week.
Mary and the band have also agreed to spend a full day in Quang Tri Province on Monday, April 9th, performing for victims of landmines and UXO and visiting mine action clearance sites and activities. Their visit will highlight the legacy of wartime ordnance and the threats to families still living in contaminated areas.
Mary McBride’s visit to Quang Tri will be hosted by Project RENEW and the Humpty Dumpty Institute (HDI). Mary is International Spokesperson for HDI and has visited HDI programs and projects around the world. RENEW and HDI are working in partnership to reduce the impact of Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) by providing income-generating opportunities for victim families.
“Mushrooms with a Mission” is an HDI initiative in Quang Tri, an enterprise that provides training to more than 100 families who grow high quality mushrooms for extra income. The mushrooms, packaged and sold under the NAMUS brand, will produce revenues to offset the costs of expanded ERW clearance.
Many of the victim families will join a large number of more than 150 disabled chilrend and school children on Monday afternoon to hear Mary and her band perform. The venue is the Quang Tri Mine Action Visitor Center in Dong Ha, where students and local residents come regularly to learn about safety and how to avoid accidents from bombs and mines. The Center is also frequented by international tour groups visiting the DMZ and former battle sites.
Media representatives are invited to attend Mary McBride’s Monday afternoon performance. Other activities that day, scheduled below, are open as well but media reps wishing to participate are requested to notify, in advance:
Ngo Xuan Hien
Public Relations / Development Officer
Project RENEW
T +84 53 3 858 445 etc. 114
M 0915 352 565
E ngoxuanhien@gmail.com
SCHEDULE FOR MONDAY, 09 APRIL 2012:
- 09:30am Mary McBride group arrives in Cam Lo District,
observes live EOD task conducted by RENEW’s mobile EOD team - 10:00am Visit the Mushroom Center
- 11:00am Briefing at the Project RENEW Coordination Office
- 12:00pm Lunch
- 02:00pm Concert at Mine Action Visitor Center
- 04:00pm Mary McBride group departs for Hue
ADDITIONAL REFERENCES:
