The program was attended by many distinguished guests from the Dutch Embassy in Vietnam, the Vietnam-Netherlands Friendship and Cooperation Association, the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as many scientists and managers from universities and organizations of both countries. This activity was held to commemorate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the Netherlands (1973-2003).
Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Van Kim (right, Vice Rector) presents a commemorative gift from the University to Mr. Peter de Goeje.
Although geographically distant, Vietnam and the Netherlands share many historical and cultural ties dating back to early times. From the 17th century, diplomatic and trade relations between the Great Viet Kingdom and the Dutch Republic were established through the Dutch East India Company. In 1973, the Netherlands was one of the first Western European countries to establish diplomatic relations with the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. The Netherlands also had a strong anti-war movement, supporting Vietnam's struggle for independence and national reconstruction. In 1971, the Committee for Science and Technology for Vietnam was established in the Netherlands with the aim of providing material and moral support to the Vietnamese people.
Through the activities of this Committee, cooperation between the two countries was established and promoted, including cooperation between universities. Since 1978, Vietnam and the Netherlands have developed major cooperation programs in the fields of science, technology, health, and social sciences and humanities. Approximately 400 Vietnamese scientists have studied and conducted research in the Netherlands, and about 100 Dutch scientists have conducted research in Vietnam. These activities mark a period of good friendly cooperation between the two countries.
Peter de Goeje is a Dutch engineer who participated in the Committee for Science and Technology for Vietnam and many movements supporting Vietnam from the early 1970s. His book, "Greetings of Solidarity," is based on his direct experiences during this period, reflecting the efforts and affection of the Dutch people for Vietnam.
At the exchange, Professor Phan Huy Le (Chairman of the Vietnam Historical Science Association), a historian who has been involved in Vietnam-Netherlands cooperation programs for many years, gave a respectful introduction to the author and the book. Professor Phan Huy Le said that Peter de Goeje is not a writer or a scientist. He is a technology engineer, but with his affection for Vietnam, he devoted much effort to collecting documents and interviewing people to write a book with many valuable documents, which is very meaningful to the people of both countries. The book's title, "A Greeting of Solidarity," is a very familiar phrase at the end of letters exchanged between Dutch and Vietnamese friends in the 1970s, serving as both a greeting and a motto, as well as an affirmation: the Dutch friends were ready to stand alongside the Vietnamese people in their arduous struggle.
Professor Phan Huy Le said: “I highly appreciate the significance of this book. The author has been very honest with the rich materials he has obtained, his writing style is clear and coherent, and his unique perspective vividly reflects the reality of what happened at that time. Through this work, Peter de Goeje has revived the precious legacy in the relationship between the two countries in the past – that is, mutual understanding, trust, and cooperation. The book directly contributes to promoting the development of relations between the two countries in the present and future.”
During the exchange, Mr. Peter de Goeje and Professor Phan Huy Le answered many questions from the guests regarding the content of the book as well as the stages of development in the Vietnam-Netherlands cooperation over the past 40 years.