Over the past decade, the Da Nang International Fireworks competitions (DIFC), currently known as the Da Nang International Fireworks festivals (DIFF), have left a deep impression on both participating contestants and visitors from both home and abroad.

Mr Binh (in white shirt) and some US contestants in DIFC 2013

In addition to the active support from the city’s leaders, and the effective coordination between the organisers and relevant local agencies, the success of the international event has been partly attributed to the active involvement of volunteers in helping competing teams and the event’s organisers.

Amongst them, interpreter Dang Van Binh from the municipal Department of Foreign Affairs is a typical example.

Since the international-scale fireworks event was first held in 2008, Mr Binh has been interpreter for such competing teams as Malaysia, Canada and the USA in 2010, 2015 and 2018 respectively.

“During the first years of organisation of this international event when the organiser was the municipal People’s Committee, serving the competing teams was quite simple. Despite the hot weather, participating teams focused hard on readying their fireworks at the launching location at the former Han River Port for many hours. I and other interpreters had to ride bicycles to bring water bottles to them”, Mr Binh noted.

He added that since the Sun Group was responsible for hosting DIFFs 2017 and 2018, most of requirements of competing teams and the Global2000 Company from Malaysia, a consulting unit for the events, have been fully satisfied.

In DIFF 2018, Mr Binh was the interpreter for Atlas PyroVision team from the USA.

Notably, when arriving in Da Nang, Atlas PyroVision team members expressed their friendliness to their interpreter, saying that US contestants who once competed in previous events had told them a lot about him.

“When going for a walk on the Han River and Dragon bridges, the US team members was very impressed with the city’s beautiful landscape, its green and clean environment”, he added.

Mr Binh remarked that whilst the US competitors provided spectators with a wonderful fireworks display in Da Nang, their relatives and employees of Atlas PyroVision fireworks company in the USA watched their performance on their cell phones via a live stream.

At the awards ceremony of DIFF 2018, MCs made a mistake when announcing Atlas PyroVision as winner, but the official winner was Team Italy. Although the US members felt something missing, they shared joy with the Italian members professionally and happily.

The fireworks event has not only been considered as one of the city's most attractive tourism products, but left local volunteers like Mr Binh with unforgettable memories.