Prof. Dr. Pham Quang Minh works with foreign ambassadors in Vietnam

The meeting revolved around the organization of a series of events commemorating the 135th anniversary of the birth of writer Frank Kafka in Vietnam (July 3, 1883 – July 3, 2017). He was a great writer of short stories and novels in German, and is considered by critics as one of the most influential authors of the 20th century.

The main organizers of the event series are the Faculty of Literature (University of Social Sciences and Humanities), the embassies of Germany, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Austria, and Japan in Vietnam; in addition, there is also the participation of a number of governmental and non-governmental organizations such as the Goethe Institute, the Japan Cultural Exchange Foundation, etc.

The series of events is expected to take place in the second week of April 2018 and will include three activities: organizing an exhibition and screening a film about writer Frank Kafka; organizing an international conference on Frank Kafka, with the participation of domestic and foreign scientists; awarding prizes for a writing contest about Frank Kafka to students majoring in Literature nationwide, focusing on universities in Hanoi. In addition, there will be sideline activities at cafes and academic spaces in Hanoi. The series of events is expected to take place over a week and at many different locations, including the campus of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities.

On behalf of foreign partners, Czech Ambassador Vítezslav Grepl affirmed the importance of this series of commemorative events. He emphasized that Frank Kafka's works not only represent German literature, but also reflect the culture of other European countries such as the Czech Republic, Austria, and Switzerland. As a European, he wanted to learn about the reception of Vietnamese readers about an influential writer like Frank Kafka. This is also an opportunity for cultural exchange, aiming to strengthen relations between Vietnam and European countries.

On behalf of the University, Prof. Dr. Pham Quang Minh highly appreciated the organizing idea of ​​the Faculty of Literature and foreign partners. The Principal believes that this activity will have an impact not only on the University's students but also on a large number of Vietnamese readers, especially young readers. As one of the prestigious and long-standing Literature training addresses in Vietnam, the University is committed to creating the best conditions to contribute to the success of the series of events.

Prof. Dr. Pham Quang Minh presents souvenirs to the ambassadors

Prof. Dr. Pham Quang Minh and school staff took souvenir photos with the ambassadors

In addition to training and research activities, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities has recently organized many meaningful and far-reaching cultural and social activities. The most recent is the friendship activity to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Algeria and the 62nd anniversary of the National Day of the Republic of Algeria.