Children's literature nourishes children's souls

Writer Thai Chi Thanh (left cover) and members of the Children's Literature Council take a souvenir photo with poet Tran Dang Khoa, Vice President of the Vietnam Writers Association (third from left) and poet Phan Hoang, member of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Writers Association, Director - Editor-in-Chief of the association's vanvn page (middle). Photo: Contributor

We interviewed writer Thai Chi Thanh, Chairman of the Children's Literature Council, about joining hands to carry out this topic, contributing to nurturing children's souls.

Passionate about children's topics

* Dear writer, can you share a little about the idea and the opportunity that led to the birth of the Children's Literature publication?

- The Children's Literature publication - Volume 1 has just been introduced to readers on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification Day (April 30, 1975 - April 30, 2025) by the Children's Literature Council of the Vietnam Writers' Association, the Young Pioneer Newspaper and Children's Newspaper under the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union. This is a great effort by writers, poets, and journalists who are passionate about children's literature. For the first time, since its inception, until the term after the 10th Congress (2021-2025), the Vietnam Writers' Association has a publication dedicated to children.

The Chairman, Standing Committee, and Executive Committee of the Vietnam Writers Association, Term X, highly appreciated the role of children's literature, upgrading the former Children's Literature Board to the Children's Literature Council, like other specialized councils. Moreover, the Vietnam Writers Association has paid attention to and launched the 5-year Children's Literature Creation Campaign (2021-2025) and focused on the personnel work of the council, always encouraging and motivating us...

But that is the “necessary condition”, the “sufficient condition” for a publication of the stature of a literary magazine dedicated to children to be born is from the policy of the Executive Committee of the Writers’ Association, following the socialization trend in the current general context, if it really wants to survive and develop. The Children’s Literature Council has been united, unified, and taken each step firmly to fulfill its responsibilities. In addition to annual tasks such as proposing annual awards and considering membership, the Children’s Literature Council also actively organizes writing camps, field trips, meetings, exchanges, and exchanges with related sectors and localities, connecting movements and competitions for children’s literature writing… All of these activities are socialized, meaning we take care of our own funding, facilities, and building operating models… It was indeed difficult at first, but after a few years, we found that it was a suitable model, a condition for development. Up to now, the Children's Literature Council has proactively organized 7 writing camps in all regions and achieved very encouraging results.

Carrying out the Children's Literature theme is the wish and determination of our Children's Literature Council. Overcoming many difficulties, steadfast in the criteria of quality, we have had a close friend accompanying us, the Thieu Nien Tien Phong and Nhi Dong Newspaper. When receiving the first volume of Children's Literature , poet Nguyen Quang Thieu, Chairman of the Vietnam Writers' Association said: "Children's literature is a persistent dream of the members of the Children's Literature Council, especially writer Thai Chi Thanh and poet Bao Ngoc. But without the Thieu Nien Tien Phong and Nhi Dong Newspaper, headed by writer Nguyen Phan Khue and the editorial board, that dream would be a cloud floating over our heads towards the horizon and disappearing. Along with that is the support of the Writers' Association Publishing House...".

Cover of Children's Literature publication. Photo: YEN LAN

Hope to have a "companion" on the long journey

* Poet Tran Dang Khoa, Vice President of the Vietnam Writers Association, assessed the Children's Literature theme as an interesting and useful playground, a panoramic picture of Vietnamese children's literature. How will the Children's Literature Council, together with the Young Pioneer and Children's Newspapers, maintain this playground?

- This is a question, or rather our concern and wish.

Poet Tran Dang Khoa, Vice President of the Vietnam Writers Association, was a supporter of this issue when it was still in its infancy. He spent time and effort composing his first children's epic poem in time for the first issue. So, the first issue of Children's Literature was also a gratitude, a response to the wishes of many people.

Launching the Children's Literature topic is difficult, maintaining and developing it will be even more difficult, especially in the current situation, when the mechanisms and policies of the associations have changed, when writers are having to "fight" with the products of artificial intelligence... But as always, challenges are also opportunities for change, for breakthroughs. We are optimistic, seeing this as an opportunity for children's literature to develop, at least to return to its golden age with a different mindset and stature of the 21st century. Moreover, we are not alone, lost on the path of development. Accompanying the Children's Literature Council - writers who are passionate and devoted to children's literature - are the Thieu Nien Tien Phong and Nhi Dong Newspapers - a loving address that has nurtured the souls of many generations, has been the "midwife" for many writers and poets to be born and grow up, and there is the Vietnam Writers Association that is transforming and wholeheartedly favoring children's literature... And above all, the whole society, the whole country loves their children, cherishes what nourishes the future of the country. What could be better than that! That's why we are very optimistic, believing in the vitality of the Children's Literature topic.

After the first episode was released, we gathered together to learn from our experiences and determined to make the next issue better and better than the first. But not only do we have the spirit to do what we want, but we also have a myriad of things to do, from "cooking" to other "big" things, such as funding, communication, publishing on electronic newspapers, setting up a fund to support... There are many, many things to do. I believe that we will overcome all of them, if the members are united, enthusiastic, and join hands like in the past. And, of course, there is the guidance of the Writers' Association, the Central Youth Union, and soon we will cooperate with the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry of Culture , Sports and Tourism...

* In your opinion, how can we bring Children's Literature publications to children in rural, mountainous and remote areas?

- Children's literature belongs to all children, and more broadly, to today's and tomorrow's society. We will try to bring this publication to all children who love literature in this S-shaped country. But wishes are one thing, but reality must be step by step, although no one wants to forget any child, even in remote areas... In order for the publication to reach children in general, children in remote areas in particular, we must make it most suitable, not only in content and form but also in cost reduction to the maximum. And of course, we must find a "channel" to convey it. That is why the Children's Literature Council, the Editorial Board of Thieu Nien Tien Phong Newspaper and Nhi Dong really hope and need the sectors, organizations, and localities to join hands. In fact, we have prepared to do that. At the beginning of this year, there was a writing camp in Lam Dong for children, at the end of this year there will be a writing camp in Dak Lak plateau; and remote seas and islands… are all taken into account. Hopefully, after a short period of time, our wishes will come true.

* Thank you writer!

Source: https://baophuyen.vn/van-nghe/202505/van-hoc-thieu-nhinuoi-duong-tam-hon-con-tre-7162599/