Pages Bridging Vietnam-Azerbaijan Friendship

	Strong Bonds Between Vietnam And Belarus, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan
	Concert In Hanoi Highlights Vietnam - Azerbaijan Ties

Certificates were presented to students participating in illustrating the book “What I saw in Vietnam.” (Photo: Bach Duong)

On May 5 in Hanoi, the launch ceremony of the Vietnamese translation of “What I saw in Vietnam” by Azerbaijani writer and director Ajdar Ibrahimov took place. The event was co-organized by the State Committee on Work with Diaspora of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Vietnam, the International Cooperation Department under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam, and the Vietnam Film Institute. It was attended by representatives of cultural and diplomatic agencies, filmmakers, as well as numerous Vietnamese and Azerbaijani friends, pupils, and students in Hanoi.

“What I saw in Vietnam” is the first of Ajdar Ibrahimov’s works to be translated into Vietnamese. Comprising 25 stories rich in memoir and short fiction elements, the book reflects his journey of observation and experience in Vietnam during the historical period from the victory of Dien Bien Phu to the resistance war against the United States. Through the work, ordinary Vietnamese people are portrayed as resilient and dignified. Vietnam is depicted as a nation of willpower, aspiration for life, and an unquenchable faith.

The event contributes to connecting history and culture, opening up new avenues for cooperation between Vietnam and Azerbaijan, particularly in the fields of cinema and literature. It also responds to Vietnam Book and Reading Culture Day, spreading the values of knowledge and historical memory through an artistic lens.

Speaking at the ceremony, Le Thi Ha, Director of the Vietnam Film Institute, emphasized that introducing the book is a meaningful activity that helps promote cultural cooperation between the two countries. She affirmed that Ajdar Ibrahimov’s contributions to Vietnamese cinema and his legacy constitute an important imprint in Vietnam-Azerbaijan relations.

Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Vietnam Shovgi Kamal Oglu Mehdizade stated that the translation and publication of the book is a significant cultural project linked to the history of cooperation between the two countries since the Soviet era. According to him, President Ho Chi Minh’s visit to Azerbaijan in 1959 laid the foundation for numerous cooperative activities, including the presence and contributions of director Ajdar Ibrahimov in Vietnam.

The Ambassador also expressed his gratitude to the translator and to the individuals and organizations involved in editing, illustrating, and organizing the event, helping bring the book closer to Vietnamese readers.

Sharing about the translation process, Dr. Nguyen Van Chien, a linguistics scholar and the book’s translator, noted that translating Ibrahimov’s prose is “a delicate exercise in cinematic linguistics.” According to him, the author writes with a director’s mindset, using visual rhythm, with sentences as short as “camera cuts.”

Dr. Nguyen Van Chien, linguistics scholar and translator, speaks at the book launch of “What I Saw in Vietnam.” (Photo: Bach Duong)

According to the translator, the greatest challenge in the translation process was preserving the cultural depth embedded in Ibrahimov’s observations. The author often uses an Azerbaijani worldview to depict Vietnamese landscapes and people; therefore, balancing the two cultural spaces, retaining the original tone while faithfully conveying the reality of Vietnam, required meticulous care so as not to lose the subtle emotional nuances.

The value of the work lies in helping readers understand Vietnam as a vibrant culture, rather than merely a distant memory of war.

Speaking to a reporter from Vietnam Times Magazine, Fuad Muradov, Chairman of the State Committee on Work with the Diaspora of Azerbaijan, stated that this is a particularly meaningful event, contributing to further deepening the friendship between Vietnam and Azerbaijan. According to him, the Vietnamese translation of “What I saw in Vietnam” by director Ajdar Ibrahimov, initiated by the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Vietnam with the support of the Committee, is a vivid testament to cultural cooperation between the two countries.

Fuad Muradov, Chairman of the State Committee on Work with the Azerbaijani Diaspora. (Photo: Bach Duong)

Fuad Muradov emphasized that Vietnam-Azerbaijan relations are built on a long-standing foundation and are developing positively across many fields, including literature and cinema. Many Vietnamese students have studied and lived in Azerbaijan, while numerous Azerbaijani experts have come to Vietnam to work in sectors such as oil and gas, culture, and film. These individuals have become important bridges, helping bring the two countries closer together.

In his capacity as Chairman of the State Committee on Work with the Diaspora of Azerbaijan, he noted that one of his responsibilities is to support such individuals, as well as creative artistic activities, including the translation of “What I saw in Vietnam” into Vietnamese. He also shared that the Committee and Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism have agreed to continue implementing similar projects and to further promote cooperation in the future.

Fuad Muradov expressed his expectation that through similar projects, the people of the two countries, especially younger generations, will gain a deeper understanding of Vietnam and Azerbaijan. While previous generations came to know each other through shared history, the younger generation needs greater exposure through cultural, artistic, and people-to-people exchange activities.

Azerbaijani writer and film director Ajdar Ibrahimov. (Photo: azertag.az) Ajdar Ibrahimov (1919-1993) was a renowned Azerbaijani writer and film director, a People’s Artist of the Soviet Union, who made significant contributions to Soviet cinema and literature. His name is closely associated with the early days of Vietnamese cinema. At the invitation of President Ho Chi Minh and under the direction of the Soviet Ministry of Culture, from 1959 to 1962 he came to Vietnam to assist the Vietnamese Government in establishing the country’s first National Film School. During his three years in Vietnam, he directly directed and advised on some of the first feature films produced in the country, notably Chung mot dong song (Together on the same river) (1959), Hai nguoi linh (Two soldiers) (1962), and Mot ngay dau thu (An early autumn day) (1961-1962). Vietnam held an important place in Ajdar Ibrahimov’s creative life. He traveled across many regions of the country, studying its people and traditions, while personally selecting young talents for the film school, who would later become the first generations of professional Vietnamese actors and directors. Ajdar Ibrahimov was honored by the State of Vietnam with the First-Class Labor Order and the title of Hero of Labor of Vietnam. After returning to his homeland, he published three books about Vietnam and its people: What I saw in Vietnam, The blazing sun, and The Thai ethnic girl.

Promoting Tourism Activities between Vietnam and Azerbaijan According to Florian Sengstschmid, Chief Executive Officer of the Azerbaijan Tourism Board, Vietnam is a favorite destination for the Azerbaijani people. However, the lack of ...

New Classrooms for Lao Cai Students from Vietnam-Azerbaijan Friendship The inauguration ceremony for a classroom building at Tran Phu Primary School was held on March 18 in Luc Yen commune (Lao Cai province), attended ...