US and Vietnamese writers celebrate 30 years of literary exchange
PSNews – The Vietnam Writers’ Association organized a conference themed “30 years of Vietnam – US Literary Exchange” in Hanoi on October 28.
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The conference is a memorable milestone in the 30 years of cooperation between the Vietnam Writers’ Association and the William Joiner Institute as well as in the Vietnam-US Literary Exchange, said poet Huu Thinh, President of the Alliance of Arts and Literature Associations of Vietnam, and President of Vietnam Writers’ Association.
Huu Thinh also expressed his hope that the cooperation between the Association and Institute will further develop in the coming time.
Dr. Thomas T. Kane, Director of the William Joiner Institute (Massachusetts University, Boston) said that the literary exchange has been a powerful demonstration of the two sides’ efforts to promote cultural exchange, mutual understanding and to heal the war’s wounds.
In the last 30 years, some 100 Vietnamese writers have participated in various conferences in the US organized by the William Joiner Institute. Writers from the US have also joined various conferences on Vietnam – US literature held in Vietnam, in an effort to introduce Vietnam’s literature to the rest of the world.
The William Joiner Institute has published 14 works of Vietnamese poetry and also participated in many activities to reduce the consequences of the war in Vietnam.
At the conference, poets and writers of the two countries shared their memories of the meetings, exchanges and literary cooperation activities between the Vietnam Writers’ Association and the William Joiner Institute. They all agreed that such a meeting or Vietnam – US literary exchange between the two sides can function as a great step forward in healing the wounds of the war and fostering cultural cooperation between two countries and peoples.
On this occasion, the Alliance of Arts and Literature Associations of Vietnam awarded medals for the cause of Vietnamese literature and arts to Dr. Thomas T. Kane; Dr., poet Kevin Bowen; Dr. Bruve Weigh; and Professor, writer Nguyen Ba Chung.
