Vietnamese Bookcases: Contributing to Preservation and Development of Vietnamese Language Around the World

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- How has Vietnam Education Publishing House been deploying the Vietnamese Bookcase model abroad?

Supporting overseas Vietnamese (OV) communities in learning Vietnamese and preserving their cultural identity has always been one of the core missions of Vietnam Education Publishing House (VEPH). From very early on, we developed various sets of books and learning materials specifically designed for Vietnamese expatriates.

In the 2017-2018 period, VEPH published two Vietnamese teaching series: Tieng Viet vui (Fun Vietnamese) and Que Viet (Vietnam Homeland), which laid a solid foundation for Vietnamese learning among Vietnamese children in many countries. In 2022, we further developed the Chao tieng Viet (Hello Vietnamese) series for learners aged 6-15, with linguistic and cultural content tailored to overseas learning environments, helping children gradually approach Vietnamese in a natural and accurate manner.

Alongside Vietnamese-language textbooks, VEPH has also published numerous works on Vietnamese culture, literature, and history, providing official reference materials for overseas Vietnamese communities, especially younger generations born and raised far from their homeland.

These books have been warmly welcomed by Vietnamese communities in many countries, becoming an important bridge for maintaining the Vietnamese language and spreading Vietnamese cultural values among overseas Vietnamese.

- How does VEPH ensure that its books are suitable for the learning environment and needs abroad?

In developing learning materials for OV communities, we pay close attention to both content and presentation to suit learners’ characteristics, including age range, Vietnamese proficiency, and the socio-cultural environment of each country.

First, regarding language and content, each series is designed according to levels appropriate to learners’ cognitive and psychological development. For example, Levels 1 and 2 of the Chao tieng Viet series (for ages 6-15) incorporate appealing elements such as stories, dialogues, games, riddles, folk rhymes, poetry, and music. These components enable children to approach Vietnamese naturally, foster long-term learning motivation, and nurture pride in Vietnamese culture.

The lessons are also cleverly connected with the daily life and culture of the host countries so that children born and raised overseas feel familiar and engaged. Integrating communication situations tied to real environments in different regions makes the materials more practical and avoids detachment from the contexts in which the children live.

For younger learners, illustrations are used more extensively, with vibrant colors to spark interest and aid memory. For older learners, content is developed toward scenarios that reflect the life of teenagers, encouraging independent thinking and communication skills in multicultural settings.

All these considerations aim to ensure that VEPH’s books not only teach Vietnamese but also cultivate cultural connection, helping young overseas Vietnamese maintain their mother tongue and deepen their understanding of their national roots.

Dr. Pham Vinh Thai - Editor-in-Chief, Vietnam Education Publishing House. (Photo: Huu Thang)

- How would you assess the effectiveness of the Vietnamese Bookcase initiative?

In response to the Government’s project Vietnamese Language Appreciation Day and to strongly promote the love for Vietnamese within overseas Vietnamese communities, VEPH has closely cooperated with the Ministry of Education and Training and the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs to implement a system of Vietnamese Bookcases for expatriate communities worldwide. Since its launch, this model has received enthusiastic support and has been widely welcomed by overseas Vietnamese.

To date, Vietnamese Bookcases have been established and donated in more than 15 countries and territories, with notable locations including Fukuoka (Japan), Budapest (Hungary), Taiwan (China), Paris and New Caledonia (France), Prague and Brno (Czech Republic), Melbourne (Australia), Thailand, Laos, Belarus, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Finland, Romania, Bulgaria, Russia, and the Republic of Korea. Many bookcases have become familiar cultural spaces for local Vietnamese communities, especially teenagers and children.

Inauguration of the Vietnamese Bookcase in France. (Photo: VEPH)

Notably, each bookcase is developed based on the actual needs of the local community. Using information from representative missions, associations, and organizations abroad, VEPH compiles a recommended list of books suited to the characteristics of each location, including Vietnamese-language books for various age groups; books on culture, literature, and history; and publications that support teaching. This flexible approach enables the bookcases to meet real needs, maximize their effectiveness, and serve as useful learning resources for the community.

Through these bookcases, generations of overseas Vietnamese gain convenient access to Vietnamese-language learning materials as well as cultural, historical, and literary books from their homeland. This is an important channel that helps preserve the Vietnamese language, nurture Vietnamese cultural identity, promote cultural exchange, and strengthen connections between Vietnam and the overseas Vietnamese community.

In addition, to further expand access to knowledge for overseas Vietnamese, VEPH has introduced a free learning ecosystem, including electronic textbooks for grades 1 to 12 aligned with the new General Education Curriculum, along with two programs jointly developed with VTV4 to support teaching and learning Vietnamese for overseas Vietnamese children. These efforts carry profound humanitarian meaning, contributing to community service and ensuring that every child of Vietnamese origin, regardless of country of residence, has the opportunity to learn Vietnamese systematically and approach Vietnamese culture in a natural and authentic way.

These activities demonstrate VEPH’s strong commitment to accompanying overseas Vietnamese, preserving the mother tongue, and reinforcing the cultural bridge that connects Vietnamese people across the five continents with their homeland.

- What plans does VEPH have for the “Vietnamese Bookcase” project in the coming period?

As the demand for learning Vietnamese and preserving cultural identity within the overseas Vietnamese community continues to grow, VEPH will continue working with the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs to expand the Vietnamese Bookcase system in the coming period. The achievements to date are only the first step, helping to shape an effective model for supporting overseas Vietnamese in maintaining the Vietnamese language and strengthening cultural ties with their homeland.

In the coming years, we plan to collaborate with relevant agencies, associations, and community centers to replicate the bookcase model in areas with large Vietnamese populations. The focus will be on Vietnamese communities in Europe, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the United States, Laos, Cambodia, and many other countries and territories where there is demand.

Expanding the Vietnamese Bookcase network not only brings official books and learning materials from Vietnam to overseas Vietnamese but also reflects VEPH’s commitment to accompanying the global Vietnamese community, promoting cultural diplomacy through language, and spreading Vietnamese cultural values in the context of international integration.

The “Vietnamese Bookcase” won Second Prize in the “Initiatives with External Information Value” category at the 10th National External Information Service Awards in 2024. (Photo: VEPH)

- In your view, what policies or support mechanisms are needed from the State, relevant authorities, and the overseas Vietnamese community to ensure that the publication and dissemination of Vietnamese-language books abroad becomes more sustainable and widespread?

First of all, it is necessary to continue maintaining and enhancing activities under the Government’s project “Vietnamese Language Appreciation Day within the Overseas Vietnamese Community, 2023-2030.” This is an important foundation for ensuring lasting impact and affirming Vietnamese as a precious cultural and spiritual asset of the nation.

At the same time, it is essential to significantly strengthen programs that support the teaching and learning of Vietnamese among overseas Vietnamese, with particular emphasis on teacher training, improving pedagogical capacity, and creating conditions for teachers to regularly engage in self-development. Training Vietnamese-language teachers abroad should be implemented flexibly, closely aligned with the teaching conditions of each locality, while also taking advantage of digital transformation tools and platforms to expand access to opportunities.

According to VEPH, organizing both in-person and online training courses, providing instructional methodology materials, sharing effective teaching models, and establishing a global network of Vietnamese-language teachers are practical measures that carry profound humanitarian meaning. These teachers form the core force that determines the quality of Vietnamese-language instruction; therefore, long-term support mechanisms are needed to help them enhance their expertise and confidently accompany Vietnamese students overseas.

In addition to strengthening the teaching force, it is also important to develop learning materials tailored to each locality, and to organize exchange and experiential activities for teachers and students both in host countries and in Vietnam. These initiatives help deepen connections and strengthen the love for the Vietnamese language within the community.

Another key task is to build a shared digital Vietnamese-language library for overseas Vietnamese, while developing audiobooks, e-books, and online learning tools so that Vietnamese people in any country can easily access official learning resources on the Vietnamese language, culture, history, and literature. This approach aligns with global digital transformation trends and creates favorable conditions for Vietnamese to spread more widely.

To ensure that the publication and dissemination of Vietnamese-language books abroad is truly sustainable, close coordination is needed among the State, publishers, businesses, and the overseas Vietnamese community. Support policies related to finance, legal frameworks, technology, and logistics, together with the active participation of overseas Vietnamese, will generate a synergistic strength to help the Vietnamese language be preserved, nurtured, and passed on to future generations.

- Thank you very much!

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