Workshop “Thanh–Minh: Let the Voice Guide the Way” | When the voices of the visually impaired are wrapped into gifts

The “Thanh–Minh: Let the Voice Lead” workshop was held at Toong Phan Boi Chau station. The event's host was MC/Voice Coach Xuan Quynh - Founder of Unique Voice. Toong had a conversation with her to understand more about the humanitarian values of this event.

Hello, Ms. Xuan Quynh. Could you share the inspiration behind the creation of the “Thanh–Minh: Let the Voice Lead” workshop?

There is a novel called "All the Light We Cannot See" by the author Anthony Doerr, which I am delighted in. It tells the story of a blind girl during World War II, who used her voice to create magical moments over the radio waves. Although unable to see the light, her voice shone, touching hearts and softening the soldiers on the other side of the battlefield.

I realized that each person’s voice can also become that "invisible light" if we know how to cherish and harness it.

Therefore, I wanted to bring the community an opportunity to explore the power in their voices, to make the voice not just a fleeting sound but a precious gift, a spiritual keepsake that can convey love and touch the listener's heart. And that’s how “Thanh Minh” was born.

It is known that this workshop is private, so surely some special things happened. Could you share them with everyone?

The “Thanh–Minh: Let the Voice Lead” workshop provided guests with moments of silence to enjoy stories, poems, and songs... voiced by the visually impaired.

With the message “wrapping the voice as a gift,” the participants recorded their voices onto cassette tapes to turn them into physical gifts, specifically “sound gift boxes.” These boxes were auctioned to raise funds for the visually impaired community.

I was truly surprised that in just 10 minutes of fundraising, the program had received over 27 million VND, a figure beyond expectations. This proves that the event touched the hearts of the participants.

Moreover, during the event, our team also received a lot of positive feedback from the guests. They shared that they felt a strong connection between the members. The atmosphere of the event deeply affected them.

Which reading voice in the workshop touched you the most?

To be honest, I was moved by all the reading voices of the visually impaired participants. Their voices rose like true voices of the inner soul and full of emotion. But there was one voice that contained a lot of sorrow, perhaps stemming from her own life story, and that was Hai Anh's.

Hai Anh had once dreamed of becoming an artist. Unfortunately, her vision faded until she had to give up her dream. When Hai Anh spoke the lines, I could feel the entirety of her experiences, the pain and the determination in every word.

A voice is not just a means of communication but can also become a gift, a precious spiritual keepsake that touches the hearts of listeners. This was realized at the workshop “Thanh–Minh: Let the Voice Lead,” where the voices of the visually impaired were wrapped into gifts.

That reading voice contained an entire journey filled with thorns but also brimming with hope, which made me unable to hold back my tears due to the profound empathy and admiration for Hai Anh's determination.

What element of the space in Toong Phan Boi Chau did you feel was particularly suitable for the Thanh-Minh event?

First, the space here has a cozy and intimate feeling. The soft lighting and the circular seating arrangement help the participants focus and connect more easily.

Another factor that I found suitable was the excellent soundproofing of the space. This created an ideal condition for live audio recording during the event, ensuring that all sounds and voices were delivered clearly without interference.

For an event focused on voices and sounds like 'Thanh Minh,' this is extremely important, as it assists in honoring and highlighting the uniqueness and emotions in each voice.

After this workshop, what are your and Unique Voice's plans to further explore the hidden power of the human voice for the community?

The Thanh Minh workshop is just the beginning of a larger series of activities. Quynh and Unique Voice plan to open up more training and development programs on the human voice for the community, especially for the visually impaired.

Quynh also plans to develop podcast channels featuring the voices of the visually impaired and organize more workshops like the upcoming 'Thanh Thu' to continue spreading the message about the power of the voice in the community. I hope that I will have the opportunity to continue collaborating with Toong in the future.