On the occasion of the 9th Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival in 2025, a reporter from Lao Dong Newspaper had an interview with Miss Dinh Thi Hoa about her childhood associated with the coffee garden and her role as a media ambassador at this event.
How did her childhood spent in the coffee garden affect Miss Dinh Thi Hoa's love and responsibility for this plant?
Miss Dinh Thi Hoa: My childhood was associated with coffee gardens and long nights of watering the plants.
That is the image of the father driving a tractor, carrying water pipes to water the crops. At that time, I followed my parents to the fields and slept in the fields at night, amidst the whirring winds of the Central Highlands.
At that time, I witnessed the image of my parents waking up to take a water lessons. At this time, although the clothes were wet, they did not complain of hardship. This has taught me the value of labor, of the drops of sweat... which has raised me to be smart, smart.
Those experiences have formed in me a precious appreciation for coffee. Coffee is not only a crop but a source of life for thousands of farming households in my hometown.
When I became the Media Ambassador of the Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival, I not only brought honor but also responsibility, to spread the story of Buon Ma Thuot coffee beans, a symbol of resilience and perseverance.
My journey, whether as a beauty queen or an ambassador, originates from my childhood in the middle of a coffee garden.
What lessons and maturity have Miss Dinh Thi Hoa learned from her childhood memories with coffee?
Miss Dinh Thi Hoa: There are many memories of my childhood with coffee trees. Especially after school, I follow my mother to bring rice to the fields for my father and the uncles and aunts who are harvesting.
Under the shade of a cool green coffee tree, the whole family gathered together to eat in the sky. The feeling at that time was very warm even though it was just a rushed meal.
After eating well, I rolled into the coffee plant to rest for a while and then continued harvesting with my parents. An unforgettable memory is when I pick green coffees during the harvest.
At this time, my parents just laughed and gently taught me to pick ripe fruit: "Coffee is like humans, it takes time to mature and give the best flavor".
This lesson has stuck to me until today, because everything takes time and patience for success to come, just like a coffee bean, having to go through many stages to be able to exude a complete fragrance.
As the Media Ambassador of the Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival, what plans will Miss Dinh Thi Hoa have to promote Buon Ma Thuot to become the world's leading coffee destination?
Miss Dinh Thi Hoa: Buon Ma Thuot coffee has been out to the world for a long time, but I want to do the opposite - bring the world to Buon Ma Thuot, the birthplace of famous Robusta beans.
As the Communication Ambassador of Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival 2025, I will use the power of communication, participate in events and practical experiences to spread the image of Buon Ma Thuot - not only the coffee capital of Vietnam but also the world's leading cultural and tourism destination for coffee experiences.
I want visitors to not only enjoy a delicious cup of coffee but also understand more about the journey to make the Vietnamese Robusta brand.
Together with businesses, I hope to promote coffee experience tourism, where visitors can harvest, process and enjoy coffee right in the garden.
With the theme "Buon Ma Thuot - Coffee Destination of the World," I believe that Buon Ma Thuot will become an un missed destination for coffee lovers around the world.
Thank you Miss Dinh Thi Hoa!
