This is the first Vietnamese restaurant abroad to have successfully implemented the project.
Kieu Bich Huong, the head of the channel, stated that the project is designed to bring Vietnamese culture, literature, history, tourism, art, and cuisine to overseas Vietnamese (OVs) and international friends in a more intimate and convenient manner. She emphasized that the endeavor seeks to bridge the gap between the OVs and the homeland, allowing them to get to know Vietnam better. By providing them with an immersive experience, it also serves to strengthen the connection between the expatriates and their homeland.
Phuong Mai, the owner of the restaurant, has expressed her hope that her restaurant will be an inviting place for patrons to both enjoy traditional Vietnamese cuisine and peruse books about Vietnam.
Addressing the event, Vietnamese writer Kieu Bich Hau, who is on a trip to Europe to attend some international literary conferences, highly extolled the initiative “Vietnamese bookcases in Vietnamese restaurants abroad”, stating that it is the initial step to deploy similar bookcases in other restaurants in various countries.
She pledged to support the project and urged other sponsors to join forces in expanding Vietnamese bookcases across the world.
Poet Nhu Quynh de Prelle, who is living in Brussels, was deeply moved when she was able to contribute her own books to the project. She expressed the hope of introducing more Vietnamese books to the world beyond her home country.
Ronald Clercx, a regular Belgian customer of the renowned Pho Sure restaurant, has recently stated that literary books, particularly bilingual ones, can help visitors gain insight into the culture and people of Vietnam. By reading such books, customers can discover the unique nuances of the country and its people.
Through the Viet Happiness Station project, restaurants abroad can serve as cultural bridges to bring Vietnamese books, especially bilingual ones, to a wider international audience. In doing so, readers across the globe will gain an appreciation for Vietnamese culture and literature.
