Literature and echoes
Literature accompanies the nation throughout history, imbued with regional culture, connecting the past with the future. From anecdotes, legends, folk literature to poetry, contemporary prose, literature always carries the mission of connecting the ethnic community.
Since the time of Van Lang, Vietnamese people have entrusted the soul of the nation through legends such as Lac Long Quan - Au Co, Thanh Giong, Son Tinh - Thuy Tinh. These stories show the identity, common roots, the spirit of resilience against foreign invaders and the harmony between humans and nature.
In the context of the country entering a new era, rapid digital transformation, strong innovation and deep integration, literature has a special mission: Preserving the soul of the nation amidst the wave of globalization.
Literature reminds every Vietnamese person, no matter where they are, what they do, live in which region or reach far across the five continents and four seas, they are still Lac children and Hong grandchildren, sharing the sacred values and memories of the Vietnamese nation.
Vietnamese literature also plays a major role in preserving the purity and beauty of the Vietnamese language amidst the "tornado" of integration and globalization.
Throughout thousands of years of Northern domination, what kept Vietnamese people from being assimilated was culture, in which Vietnamese and Vietnamese literature played an extremely important role.
Vietnamese folk songs and proverbs passed down through generations are not only good words and beautiful ideas but also a strong "cultural resistance" and an invisible wall protecting national identity.
In the Ho Chi Minh era, literature became a sharp weapon of the revolution. President Ho Chi Minh, the founder of the Viet Minh Front, the predecessor of the Fatherland Front today, was also a great poet. He deeply understood that to unite the people, first of all, it must touch the hearts of the people and literature is a path that can reach the emotional corners of words.
Right from 1943, the Party announced the Outline on Culture. Two of the three important goals of the 1943 Outline on Culture of the Party were "Nationalization" and "Massization". And these two goals were always deeply expressed and had a spreading power in the works of revolutionary literature spanning the two resistance wars against France and the United States.
Literature has become a weapon of combat on the ideological and spiritual front, bringing great strength to the Vietnamese nation.
Before the new era, literature will continue to play the role and mission of connecting the nation, preserving the beauty of the Vietnamese language, and bringing Vietnamese culture and stories to the world.
Literature in the new era
In the presentation of the Vietnam Writers' Association at the 11th National Congress of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, term 2026-2031, there was a wish: It is necessary to strengthen and institutionalize cooperation between the Vietnam Fatherland Front and the Vietnam Writers' Association and literary and artistic organizations in implementing literary and artistic programs serving the cause of national unity, especially towards remote areas, ethnic minority areas and overseas Vietnamese communities.
The Vietnam Writers' Association hopes to have a support mechanism so that writers can go to the field more deeply, reach out to communities that are still less interested in literature to write works that reflect the diverse and rich life of Vietnamese ethnic communities.
The Vietnam Fatherland Front will promote its role in creating a healthy reading culture environment, bringing literature and art back to community life through cultural institutions.
In the context of cyberspace strongly impacting people's awareness and feelings, literary and artistic stories rich in human values need to be spread more widely on digital platforms and social networks; especially stories about humanity, nationality, and love for homeland and country.
Writer Nguyen Quang Thieu - Chairman of the Vietnam Writers' Association - expects the 11th National Congress of the Vietnam Fatherland Front to continue to consolidate the strength of national unity, promote the role of literature and art in connecting people, spreading human values. Literature has the ability to reach the deepest layers of language, connecting emotions, love and national pride in each Vietnamese person.
