The journey of preserving the Vietnamese spirit through the pages of a book.

Creativity stemming from identity

The publication "Living Together as One Family" is produced in the form of an atlas (a book illustrated with maps), aiming to spark readers' interest in exploring the diverse cultures and rich spiritual lives of the 54 ethnic groups living in Vietnam.

The "Young People and Vietnamese Identity" exchange program, organized by Kim Dong Publishing House, was held at the Ho Chi Minh City Book Street.

Each page of the book opens up a vibrant world , leaving readers amazed and proud of the diverse cultural and spiritual treasures of the great family of Vietnamese ethnic groups, such as the H'Mong, Dao, Kinh, Tay, Nung, Cho Ro, Chut, Khmer, etc., reflected in many different dimensions: cuisine, language, clothing, festivals, and folk games.

The authors of this publication are Vo Thi Mai Chi (born in 1984) and Ho Quoc Cuong (born in 1990). Previously, they collaborated many times, and one of their notable works is "The Land of Brocade Flowers" (first published in 2022). The book contains knowledge about geography, history, culture, and people, giving readers a concrete and vivid view of each region, province, and city on the map of Vietnam. Every piece of information, drawing, and color is imbued with love for the country and pride in being a child of this homeland. To date, this work has been reprinted 8 times, and the English translation has also been reprinted 2 times. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of Southern Vietnam and the reunification of the country, the two also jointly launched the publication "Following in the Footsteps of Time," introducing readers to 38 typical works and complexes of Gia Dinh - Saigon - Ho Chi Minh City throughout its long history.

As one of the three advisors for the publication "Living Together in One Home," Mr. Phan Dinh Dung, a lecturer at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Culture, said: "Through this publication, the authors have promoted and spread the typical cultural values of the country. In particular, the book was published at a time when the whole country was celebrating major national anniversaries, contributing to both the development of reading culture and inspiring readers to learn more about the strength of national unity as well as the beauty and pride of Vietnam and its people."

Unleash your potential

Although a graduate of the Urban Planning Department at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Architecture, Ho Quoc Cuong has a special passion for Vietnamese culture and history. He spent three years participating in the historical project "Heroic Vietnamese History" and also took part in the "Green Journey" cross-Vietnam cycling program in 2010. From this journey, Ho Quoc Cuong gained some experience in each province and city, but upon further research and discussion, he realized his understanding was too limited compared to the diversity of cuisine , clothing, culture, personality, and traditions of the various regions across the country.

“As a Vietnamese citizen, it's impossible not to know the history and culture of my country. This is what motivates Mai Chi and me to embark on these projects. Because I believe that these publications will bring value to the community, to some extent. Furthermore, from personal observation, I see that Vietnam's position on the international stage is becoming increasingly important and prominent. Not only domestically, but the world is now paying more attention to Vietnamese culture, tourism , cuisine, and people. This is a great potential not only for the publishing industry but also for other fields in exploiting and creating based on Vietnamese identity,” said artist Ho Quoc Cuong.

As artist Ho Quoc Cuong shared, besides the publishing field, recently, many young artists have achieved considerable success by drawing on the cultural materials of the nation, a prime example being singer Phuong My Chi. Products created from indigenous materials will be valuable spiritual assets, helping young Vietnamese people firmly preserve their identity, nurture love for their homeland, and step out into the world with pride as children of Vietnam.

MSc. Phan Dinh Dung also believes that we often worry that young people will gradually distance themselves from or lose interest in Vietnamese identity, but in reality, that is not the case. "Each nation has its own identity, reflected in many different aspects. The important thing is that we inspire and create conditions for young people to continue to have ideas and create products about national culture, as in the cases of Vo Thi Mai Chi and Ho Quoc Cuong, which will more easily reach readers," MSc. Phan Dinh Dung advised.

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