Bringing knowledge to the public is the greatest mission of a book maker

Lao Dong Newspaper reporter had a conversation with teacher Gian Tu Trung - Director of IRED Education Institute, who chaired the translation project of the book series "World Civilization History" (11 parts, 45 books), revolving around the journey of implementation, book philosophy as well as the aspiration to bring Vietnamese knowledge to the world.

How did the translation team complete the journey to complete the massive set of 11 parts with a total of 45 books, sir?

- This is a very long journey, full of challenges and also full of emotions. The total implementation time lasts more than 7 years, with the participation of a large team of translators, editors and collaborators.

The book set consists of 45 books, which can be said to be one of the most massive translation works in Vietnamese publishing history. The content covers more than 2,500 years of human civilization history, spanning many fields such as: Philosophy, politics, religion, economy, literature, art...

Because of that breadth and depth, translation and editing work becomes extremely complex. Not only translating, but also conveying the spirit and depth of the author's ideology, while ensuring academic accuracy.

It can be said that this is not an ordinary project, but a journey that requires perseverance, persistence and a very high level of dedication from the participants.

Such a long-term project must face many difficulties, especially in the copyright stage?

- That's right! The first difficulty and also one of the biggest obstacles is buying the copyright. We spent about 3 years just negotiating with foreign partners. Initially, they did not agree to sell the copyright, although we have contacted and presented plans many times.

Later, when exchanging more deeply, they frankly shared that they did not believe that a private unit in Vietnam could complete such a massive set of books. This is a reality that we need to recognize: Confidence in the performance capacity of domestic units is sometimes still limited in the eyes of international partners.

However, our persistence and clear commitment have gradually changed that view. When they see that we are really serious and have the ability to implement, they agree to transfer the copyright. It can be said that besides capacity, persistence and prestige are also very important factors in international projects.

Throughout 7 years of implementation, how has the translation team worked to maintain progress and quality?

- Most of the translation team works full-time at the institute. In addition to translation work, each person still has to participate in other activities to maintain common operation. However, during the peak period, almost everyone focuses maximally on this set of books. It can be said that they "eat and sleep" with the project.

There are times when people sit next to each other all day but almost do not exchange anything, everyone focuses on their work. We often jokingly say "say hello to each other in the morning, say hello to each other in the afternoon", and the rest is working.

It is a working environment that requires high concentration and discipline, but is also very rich in internal motivation, because everyone understands the meaning of the work they are doing.

What made you and your colleagues decide to pursue such a large and challenging project?

- The most important reason is the value of the book set. This is a special work in that the author is both a historian and a philosopher. He not only recorded historical events, but also explained them from a philosophical perspective, helping readers understand more deeply about the nature of civilizations.

But the point I appreciate the most is the popular approach. The author does not write in a dry academic style, but recounts history as a story. Therefore, he named it "Story of Civilization" - A story about civilization, not "History of Civilization".

This writing style helps readers feel closer and more accessible. Readers can feel history as a vivid flow, where there are not only major events but also human life, culture, and thought on both sides of the "riverbank" of history.

In addition, the structure of the book set is also very flexible. Readers can look up according to each topic, character, period without having to read sequentially from beginning to end. This helps the book set be suitable for many audiences, from researchers to general readers.

What are your expectations for the spread of the book series after this award?

- For us, the fact that the book series has been well received by readers over the past time is already a great joy. Not only the public but also the academic community is interested, which shows that the need for deep knowledge access in Vietnam is real.

This award is a very respectable recognition from the State for the persistent efforts of a collective over many years. But what I expect more than that is not just recognition, but the spillover effect after the award.

Hopefully, from this award, the book set will reach even more readers, especially those who may have been wary of massive works before. Further, I hope that the spirit of reading books, the spirit of learning and accessing knowledge will be strongly encouraged in society.

According to you, are Vietnamese readers currently willing to welcome large projects with such a massive amount of knowledge?

- I believe so. Reality shows that if a book is valuable and presented in a suitable way, readers will accept it.

The problem is not whether books are "difficult" or not, but in how we bring knowledge to readers. If knowledge is expressed in a close, vivid and systematic way, even complex content can become easily accessible.

The important thing is that book makers must always ask the question: How to make knowledge not only correct, but also reach the most people.

From the perspective and experience of a project manager, an author who has had books that have won many awards and been translated into foreign languages, how do you see bringing Vietnamese books to the world?

- This is a big and very noteworthy story. Currently, the number of Vietnamese books translated and published abroad is still quite limited, and mostly isolated. Meanwhile, we have completely valuable works that can reach international readers.

In my opinion, there needs to be a national strategy, with coordination between many parties: the State, publishing units, cultural organizations and the authors themselves.

For example, organizing book fairs and book exhibitions abroad is a positive direction. In addition, the idea of establishing an institute or translation center to select and introduce typical works to the international community is also worth considering.

If there is systematic support, bringing Vietnamese books to the world will be much more effective than each individual doing it themselves.

What plans do you personally and the authors and translators at IRED Education Institute have to bring quality works to the international stage?

- We are also having specific plans. Some of our works, such as "Doing the right thing - A perspective on the story of Enlightenment" have been reprinted 15 times and have a fairly large circulation volume. I think that books with universal value can be received not only by Vietnamese people but also by international readers. Therefore, translating and introducing them abroad is a necessary direction.

However, to do that, in addition to content quality, a supporting ecosystem is needed, from translation, publishing to promotion.

Looking broader, according to you, what is the biggest role of book publishers today?

- In my opinion, the greatest mission of a book maker is to bring knowledge to the public. It is not only about creating books that are academically correct, but also about how to make those books read, understood and have a positive impact on readers - transcending all cultural and geographical boundaries.

In a world with more and more information, the role of book makers becomes more important, which is to selectively, systematically, and responsibly convey knowledge to everyone.