Opening of the photo exhibition “Kafka – Journey to Vietnamese readers”

Franz Kafka (July 3, 1883 - June 3, 1924) was a writer born in Prague (now the capital of the Czech Republic), into a German-speaking Jewish family. He mainly wrote in German and during his lifetime traveled to many European countries such as Austria, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy,... to rest and recuperate.

Kafka always observed and contemplated the life around him in every place he visited. Many of Kafka's great works were inspired and composed during his time abroad, with content and artistic style expressing a vision ahead of its time. Therefore, it can be said that the legacy he left behind is a precious treasure of all humanity that we will never stop admiring and exploring.

Principal Pham Quang Minh and the Ambassadors of Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, France, and Switzerland to Vietnam cut the ribbon to open the exhibition.

The world has had thousands of research works on Kafka. His life, works and philosophical thoughts have never lost their appeal to researchers in all fields and schools. For literature, more importantly, he opened up a new source of inspiration for later writers. Kafka is a great monument of later literary and philosophical schools, such as absurdism, magical realism, existentialism, postmodernism. Today, world-famous novelists such as Haruki Murakami, Salman Rushdie, Margaret Atwood,... are also strongly influenced by Kafka.

In his opening speech, Prof. Dr. Pham Quang Minh thanked the Embassies of Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, France, and Switzerland for their trust and choosing the School as the venue to organize the exhibition, discussion, and writing contest about Kafka.

Prof. Dr. Pham Quang Minh delivered the opening speech at the ceremony.

Professor Pham Quang Minh emphasized that among the 24 majors and majors at the university, literature is one of the important names. The Faculty of Literature is among the first faculties, with more than 70 years of tradition. Many alumni of the Faculty have grown up here, such as General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Mr. Nguyen The Ky (General Director of the Voice of Vietnam).

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr. Vitezlav Grepl (Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Vietnam) shared his joy and confidence in bringing a series of cultural events within the framework of the Kafka Festival to the University of Social Sciences and Humanities.

Ambassador Vitezlav Grepl speaks at the ceremony

After the opening of the exhibition, the Organizing Committee will continue to coordinate with the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU to organize the international conference “Kafka and Asian Literature”. The conference aims to research and analyze Kafka’s works more deeply through the perspective of Vietnamese scientists and translators.

At the same time, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities will launch a writing contest about Kafka, to further explore the views of today's young generation about this writer.