Associate Professor Dr Graeme Were from The University of Queensland's School of Social Science received an outstanding achievement award from the Socialist Government of Vietnam for his support of Vietnamese culture, sport and tourism. Dr Were was awarded a medal and certificate by the Minister of Culture, Tourism and Sport Mr Nguyen Ngoc Thien, in the presence of the Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam.
The ceremony took place at the opening of the temporary exhibition Doi Moi: Journey of Dreams at the National Museum of History on Thursday 22 September 2016. Dr Were worked with the curatorial team as part of his research into Vietnamese museums. The exhibition celebrates 30 years (1986 - 2016) since the introduction of a ‘socialist market-orientated economy’ and traces out the impact in the country, using a multiple narrative approach. Doi Moi aims to capture the extraordinary spirit of innovation and change in Vietnam that swept the country, presenting for the first time in the National Museum of History the voices of politicians, scientists, farmers, historians, alongside ordinary men and women, who had the vision and foresight to build a better future for all.
Dr Were’s research will be published as a series of journal articles exploring the political and social construction of national narratives in Vietnamese museums.
Media contact: Kristen Johnston engagement@hass.uq.edu.au
