 |
| Young members of the ‘Green Ambassador’ Club |
One morning at Tu Duc Mausoleum, many foreign visitors were delighted when students from Thuy Bang Primary School confidently greeted them and conversed with them in English. Using simple but fluent communication, the students introduced the historical site, its landscape, and the beauty of the area where they live. This is a regular activity of the ‘Green Ambassador’ Club.
Mr. Duong Hong Thang, Principal of the school, said: “Thuy Xuan is home to many famous Nguyen Dynasty heritage sites, such as the tombs of Emperors Tu Duc, Minh Mang, and Thieu Tri, along with many cultural tourism destinations that attract large numbers of domestic and international visitors. This provides favorable conditions for the school to create ‘open classrooms’, helping students apply what they have learned in practice”.
The model was established with a dual objective: to create an environment for students to practice English and to educate them about environmental protection and the preservation of local cultural and heritage values. After more than one year of operation, the club has attracted more than 50 regular members, creating an environment for students to improve their foreign language skills while learning about the heritage of their hometown.
Tran Bao Ngoc, a Grade 5 student at Thuy Bang Primary School, shared: “At first, I was quite nervous because I was afraid of making mistakes, but after talking with tourists many times, I became much more confident. What I enjoy most is introducing foreign visitors to the Nguyen emperors’ mausoleums, the beauty of my hometown, and reminding everyone to help keep the environment clean.”
Not only learning a foreign language, members of the "Green Ambassador" Club also take on the role of ‘green tour guides’ at heritage sites. Wearing their familiar school uniforms, they introduce visitors, in English, to the historical and cultural values of heritage monuments. At the same time, they convey messages such as ‘Green Hue’, ‘Save the Earth’, and ‘Clean Heritage - Green Future’, contributing to raising awareness of environmental protection, encouraging people not to litter and to reduce the use of single-use plastics.
Mr. Michael Brown, a visitor from Australia, said he was very impressed when the students proactively greeted him and spoke with him in English. “I didn't expect children so young to be able to communicate so confidently with foreigners. That's really wonderful,” he said.
At heritage sites and tourist attractions, the students also directly participate in collecting rubbish, cleaning public areas, and carrying out environmental protection activities such as ‘Turning Waste into Flowers’ and ‘Exchange Plastic Waste – Receive Books and Smiles’. Through these small but practical actions, these meaningful activities help students develop green living habits, learn to love nature, appreciate cultural values, and become more responsible toward the community.
The activities of the ‘Green Ambassador’ Club are also maintained regularly during the summer vacation. This is also the period when the number of foreign visitors to the royal tombs and historical sites in the Thuy Xuan area increases, providing favorable conditions for students to communicate, interact, and practice English in a real-life environment.
In addition to improving their vocabulary, listening and speaking skills, and confidence in communication, the students also become ‘young cultural ambassadors’, introducing the beauty of Hue's heritage, spreading their love for their hometown, and raising awareness among international friends of the importance of preserving cultural and historical values.