Most foreigners are very impressed by Vietnamese people’s hospitality and friendliness, as well as political stability, rapid socio-economic development and the safe environment in Vietnam – a country which as experienced many ups and downs during the past two struggles against foreign aggressors. Love for Vietnam and the hospitality of the Vietnamese people have inspired many foreigners to return and make active contributions to the country. Czech linguist Prof. Dr. Ivo Vasiljev is among such international friends.

“I have deep impressions about late President Ho Chi Minh”

Prof. Dr. Ivo Vasiljev has written many articles about late President Ho Chi Minh in the Czech Republic.

Mr Vasiljev said he had learnt Vietnamese in Prague from two Vietnamese teachers: Duong Khac Tu and Tran Xuan Dai. He later taught Vietnamese to Czech students at Prague University. Since 1959, he has conducted extensive research into Vietnamese language and history, and was recently invited to be the first postgraduate student to prepare for the teaching of Vietnamese studies at Prague University and Academy.

In 1966, during his visit to Vietnam as an interpreter for the Czech Government delegation, Prof. Dr. Ivo Vasiljev was greatly impressed by President Ho Chi Minh, who took special care of such interpreters like him.

Mr Vasiljev said Ho Chi Minh was a great leader who had extensive knowledge in various fields, including world culture and history. He said he had the good fortune to meet President Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam in 1966.

Prof. Dr. Ivo Vasiljev read President Ho’s Prison Diary and was interested in many poems in the collection, especially the poem Tieng Gia Gao (sound of pounding rice) which was presented by him many times at seminars and conferences in various countries.

It took more than 10 years for Prof. Dr. Ivo Vasiljev to translate the Prison Diary into Czech thanks to the assistance of a young Czech poet.

“I have great love for Vietnam”

Prof. Dr. Ivo Vasiljev has visited Vietnam regularly and taken part in many research projects in the country, including a project to excavate ancient artefacts sunk in Cu Lao Cham (Cham Islands) area. From 1997 to 2000, he made long annual trips to Vietnam lasting from several weeks to 15 months. In 2000, he published a book written in Czech with the title “In Search of the Heritage of the Ancient Viet”. This book was created during his fact-finding tours to Vietnam from 1985-1986 with the assistance of many Vietnamese scholars and scientists.

Most recently, Mr Vasiljev came back to Vietnam at the invitation of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Associations in 2005. He pointed out the difficulties facing Vietnamese scientists and emphasized on the need to improve infrastructure and research facilities for institutes in order to preserve intangible cultural heritages which are at risk of extinction. He highly praised the professional skills and studiousness of Vietnamese scientists, particularly those he had a chance to collaborate with.

Although he is getting older and cannot travel so often, Mr Vasiljev has made many presentations to introduce Vietnam’s history, people and land to international friends in European countries. He said he will continue to write more about Vietnam and focus on living conditions of the Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic.

Mr Vasiljev said Vietnamese people in the Czech Republic are very hardworking and always overcome difficulties to run businesses. They are keen to consolidate national unity and often send their children to the best schools in Czech and European countries in the hope of providing their children with opportunities to obtain good jobs in the future.