Aulacese
are known to the world through the Dien Bien Phu battle and the war
during 1965 to 1975. Especially after fall of South Au Lac, millions
of Aulacese left their motherland to take refuge around the world. This
great exodus has affected every corner of the world.
After they
settled, Aulacese communities overseas have received much sympathy and
respect from the countries in which they reside, such as in the United
States, Canada, France, Germany, Australia, Japan, England, Italy, etc.
The Aulacese have Aulacese continuously brought fame and glory to these
lands through their accomplishments in science, technology, economy,
literature, art, etc.
Most
especially, there is one Woman who has traveled throughout the world.
Where there is misery, disaster, or hunger, She is there. She has brought
Her love to comfort and console. She generously has offered aid to the
Aulacese in refugee camps, flood victims in Au Lac, Cambodia, Thailand,
Philippines, and elsewhere in the world. This renowned humanitarian
is Supreme Master Ching Hai.
In
addition to Au Lac, where Supreme Master Ching Hai grew up and the United
States of America where she has engaged in many activities, She is also
known in many other countries in the world. Supreme Master Ching Hai
is a renowned and respected humanitarian and artist. Her love and help
have surpassed all cultural and national boundaries reaching out to
millions of people in the world. Compassion is the foremost trademark
of this Woman as well as the International Association that has been
established after Her.
Supreme
Master Ching Hai was born in Central Au Lac. Since She was young, She
has helped patients at the local hospitals and cared for the poor. When
She grew up, She went abroad to study in Europe and continued to volunteer
as a nurse and translator for the International Red Cross. Anywhere
in the world where there is misery, there is Supreme Master Ching Hai.
Her
paintings, music, poems, jewelry and clothing designs are world famous,
and reflect the cultures of the countries She has visited. In 1995,
clothes designed by Supreme Master Ching Hai were exhibited in fashion
shows and warmly received in many famous places such as London, Paris,
Milan, New York, Formosa, Hong Kong, Singapore... The profits from these
artworks have provided Her with an independent source of funding for
Her relief missions.
Supreme
Master Ching Hai has received many awards from governments and organizations,
including The World Peace Award, The World Spiritual Leadership Award,
and The International Humanity Citizen Award. On three occasions, Supreme
Master Ching Hai has been invited to speak at the United Nations in
New York and Switzerland.
Through
Her charitable works, Supreme Master Ching Hai has been honored by many
world leaders including United States President Clinton; former presidents
George Bush and Ronald Reagan; Senators Bob Dole and Daniel Akala; governor
Jon Waihee; six governors from Midwestern states including governor
Terry E. Branstad of Iowa, Jim Edgar of Illinois, Arme Calson of Minnesota,
Mel Carnahan of Missouri, Tommy G. Thompson of Wisconsin, and Joan D.
Finney of Kansas; former Philippines President Aquino; King Sihanouk
of Cambodia and Prince Ranarridh; former mayor of Honolulu, Frank Fasi,
and Mayor Cho Soon of Seoul; Mayor of Anhee sur Meusse, Belgium; Mayor
Souren Abrahamyan of Yerevan, Armenia; Mayor of Manila, Philippines
with Key to City; Secretary General Nimitr Ajchariyakitisakoul of Foreign
Affairs in Thailand; US Ambassador to the Philippines, Peter Spalding;
and one of the seven greatest saints of India, religious leader Dada
J.P. Waswani.
Especially
in Quebec, Canada, after the winter snowstorm, Mayor Claude Bernier
of Ste Hyacinthe city, Mayor Myroslaw Smereka of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu,
Mayor Michel Duchesneau of Granby, and Mayor Maurice Bergeron of Ate-Athamase
have written letters of appreciation to Supreme Master Ching Hai for
Her generosity in helping the snowstorm victims during winter of 1997.
As
for musical activities, an evening of music and poetry, "Traces
of the Past and Love Songs," was organized at the end of 1996 at
the Terrace Theater in Long Beach, and brought together talented Aulacese
singers and musicians such as musician Pham Duy, Thu Ho, Le Uyen Phuong,
Nhat Ngan, Duy Khanh, Nguyen Dinh Nghia, Phuong Vu, as well as other
well-known singers such as Khanh Ly, Le Thu, Mai Huong, Thai Hien, Thai
Thao, Le Uyen, Mai Phuong, Kieu Loan, My Huyen, BIch Thuan, Nguyen Dinh
Nghia and family, Tran Van An, Xuan Phat, Tuan Ngoc, Duy Quang, Dan
Hung, Tran Quang, etc. The purpose of this musical event was to provide
aid and express gratitude to all the artists who have contributed many
famous masterpieces and are currently undergoing many hardships in our
homeland.
At
the end of 1997, a musical evening, "A Journey through Aesthetic
Realms," was organized in Washington D.C., with the participation
of many famous American and Aulacese singers and musicians including
David Arkenstone, Tom Mahieu, Larry Bohnert, Arielle Feinberg, Catherine
Dubas, Jean Louis Beydon, Pham Duy, Tran Quang Hai Bach Yen, Andy Quang
Le, Duy Quang, Joseph Hieu, Le Uyen Phuong, Thai Hien, Y Lan, Dalena,
Henry Chuc, Quynh Huong, Kieu Hung, Ai Van, Thanh Lan, Nhu Quyen, the
traditional music of Nguyen Dinh Nghia and family, the Tranz band, and
many more, with more than 4000 audience members. The purpose of this
concert was to honor the US veterans who were wounded in the Au Lac
War (US Department of Veterans Affairs, amount US$100,000) as well as
to contribute to the Au Lac Children's Fund, to be administered by actress
Kieu Chinh to build schools and medical clinics in Au Lac.
Especially
at the end of 1998, the concert, "One World... of peace through
music," was held at the internationally renowned Shrine Auditorium
where the Oscars are awarded annually, with the presence of more than
6,000 audience members, as well as composers and singers famous in the
United States as well as internationally, including composer Bill Conti
(Oscar and Emmy winner) who is honored with his name on the Hollywood
Walk of Fame and is the conductor for the Oscar ceremony; composer Fred
Karlin (Oscar and Emmy winner); composer Peter Boyer (five-time winner
of the National Musical Award, composed music for the tone poem "Titanic");
composer/conductor George Thatcher (wrote the song, "Send Me A
Lover", which was sung by Celine Dion); composer Maria Newman,
daughter of Alfred Newman, nine time Oscar winner; legendary actress
Debbie Reynolds (who has starred in more than 30 movies); actor John
Moschitta (Oscar winner for achievements on Television Arts and Sciences);
internationally famous band Gaelic Storm from the movie "Titanic";
Beach Boys Family & Friends; and a grand orchestra with more than
65 musicians.
This musical
evening was to benefit children with cancer and other catastrophic childhood
diseases around the world: US$150,000 was contributed to St. Jude Children's
Research Hospital and US$100,000 was contributed to Starlight Children's
Foundation personally by Supreme Master Ching Hai. Following this concert,
renowned newspapers in the United States (The Hollywood Reporter, Los
Angeles Times, LA Weekly, BIllboard, Balita, Philippine Mabuhay News,
and many more) as well as the Aulacese media (Nguoi Viet, Viet Bao Kinh
Te, Viet Dong, Saigon Times, Van Hoa, Suc Song, Van Hoi Moi, Tham My,
Nghe Thuat, among many others) published articles about this evening.
Touched
by Supreme Master Ching Hai's compassion and love, St. Jude Children's
Research Hospital invited Her to their annual gala with the attendance
of many Hollywood movie stars and musicians. Following this event, Mr.
Edvard Akopyan (President of 21st Century Entertainment and Vice President
of Glendale Studios) invited Supreme Master Ching Hai as a special guest
to the Oscar gala at The Beverly Hills Hotel in Hollywood. Upon Supreme
Master Ching Hai's arrival, Malibu television reporter, Cookie Cota,
interviewed Master. Famous Hollywood movie stars and celebrities then
had an opportunity to converse with Her.
Among
these famous movie stars were actress Stella Stevens (starred with Gene
Hackman in "The Poseidon Adventure" and Elvis Presley in "Girls!
Girls! Girls!") who praised Supreme Master Ching Hai for Her elegance
and simplicity; the first astronaut to the moon, Buzz Aldrin, and his
wife had pictures taken with Supreme Master Ching Hai; actor Tony Curtis
(starred with Marilyn Monroe); actor Rod Steiger (starred with superstar
Marlon Brando); actor Henry Silva (White Fang to the Rescue); actress
Connie Stevens (toured with famous comedian Bob Hope in Au Lac); superstar
Mark Hamill (Star Wars), among many other. All expressed their great
honor in speaking with Supreme Master Ching Hai that evening.
Recently,
Supreme Master Ching Hai toured 18 European countries: Italy, Spain,
Portugal, Poland, Russia, Armenia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovenia, Czech
Republic, Greece, the Netherlands, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Scotland,
Ireland, and England. Supreme Master Ching Hai was warmly welcomed with
hundreds of thousands of people attending Her lectures on the Quan Yin
Method. During the lecture tour, Supreme Master Ching Hai generously
and compassionately provided financial assistance to many homes for
the elderly, orphanages, and for building medical clinics and schools.
Currently,
Supreme Master Ching Hai is helping victims of the earthquakes and floods
in Turkey, Greece, Formosa, Au Lac, India, China, as well as bringing
Her love to the countries of Turkey, Israel, Egypt, South Africa, and
many more. The government and parliament of South Africa invited Supreme
Master Ching Hai to speak at the opening ceremony of the Parliament
of the World's Religions, attended by more than 50 great religious leaders
of the world on December 1, 1999 in Cape Town.
Through
Her humanitarian works around the world, the Supreme Master Ching Hai
is the first Aulacese woman to be most known and admired throughout
the world. Supreme Master Ching Hai truly is a woman deserving to be
honored as the "Woman of the 20th Century" in the Aulacese
community abroad.
Pham
Manh Cuong Montreal, Canada November, 1999
Pham Manh Cuong Biography
Composer
Pham Manh Cuong was born in Hue and graduated from the College of Pedagogy
and College of Letters. He has been a professor of Philosophy, Aulacese
Literature, History and Geography, and Music at famous private and public
high schools such as Petrusky High School in Saigon, Nguyen Dinh Chieu
High School in My Tho, Hung Dao, Van Hoc, Nguyen Van Khue, Le Bao Tinh,
Huynh Thi Nga, etc. Prior to 1975, he had a program on Au Lac television,
a program, "Modern Flowers" on Saigon radio, "Musician
Soldiers" on Voice of the Armed Forces, as well as the Tu Quynh
Music Productions.
Pham Manh
Cuong has composed more than 100 songs, including famous works such
as: Autumn Song, Pink Valley, Tears for My Love, School Of Old Days,
Your Hair Has Not Faded, Forever Love You, Love Still Here, etc. Pham
Manh Cuong presently resides in Montreal, Canada. He is the conductor
of the Pham Manh Cuong band and chief editor of Tham My monthly magazine.
