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Vietnamese Boat People MonumentPrint Page Print this page

01-June-2021
01-June-2021

Photographs supplied by Stephen Warren

The monument commemorates the remarkable journeys, strength and resilience of Vietnamese refugees, and shares the Vietnamese’s profound gratitude to Australians for embracing and assisting refugees as part of the South Australian community.

The monument captures two Vietnamese children travelling in a sculpted boat on a granite and slate ocean. The six lotus flowers, forming the Southern Cross, direct the children to the horizon and towering beacon, representing a guiding light and new beginnings. This monument was developed by the Vietnamese Boat Peoples Monument Association and funded with contributions from the State Government, Vietnamese Business Community, and a number of local government councils, and donated to the City of Adelaide.

The term "Vietnamese boat people" refers to refugees who fled Vietnam by boat and ship after the Vietnam War, especially during 1978 and 1979, but continuing until the early 1990s. The term "Vietnamese Boat People" is often used generically to refer to all the Vietnamese (about 2 million) who left their country by any means or method between 1975 and 1995.

The Vietnam War ended on April 30, 1975 with the Fall of Saigon to the North Vietnamese Army and the evacuation of more than 130,000 Vietnamese closely associated with the United States or the government of South Vietnam. After the Saigon evacuation, the numbers of Vietnamese leaving their country remained relatively small until mid 1978. The cause of the growing numbers of refugees were the increasingly repressive policies of Vietnam.

Location

Address:Victoria Drive, Karrawirra Park 12, Adelaide, 5000
State:SA
Area:Foreign
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -34.917094
Long: 138.601545
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Monument
Monument Theme:Government
Sub-Theme:Oppression
Artist:Tony Rosella, Ash Badios, Judith Rolevink, Tim Thomson
Link:https://www.vbpm.com.au

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Thursday 25th February, 2021
Front Inscription

VIETNAMES BOAT PEOPLE MONUMENT
Guiding Light

Vietnamese Australians are forever grateful to Australia and its people for welcoming us.  We extend our gratitude to all levels of government around this nation for assisting hundreds and thousands of Vietnamese refugees to successfully resettle in Australia

[ Inscription in Vietnamese ]

Thank you to our generous supporters for their unwavering support of the Vietnamese Australian community in South Australia.

[ Inscription in Vietnamese ]

Most Venerable Thich Nhu Hue   Mr & Mrs Ngo Dinh Tu (USA)  Mr Cao Van Thanh  The Kaurna Community  Government of South Australia   Mr & Mrs Cao & Hoa Le  Mr & Mrs Nguyen Van Manh  Ms Huynh Oanh   City of Adelaide  City of Port Adelaide  Dr Alex Lam & Family  Nguyen Van & Thanh Ly - Doan Family   Luong Nnq Family  City of Charles Sturt  City of Salisbury

Vietnamese Boat People Monument Association
Tony Rosella - Principal Artist     Ash Badios - Principal Artist
Judith Rolevink - Figurative Sculptor    Tim Thompson - Bronze Casting

 

Source: MA
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au