First Secretary of the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia Mai Nguyễn Tuyết Hoa (right) presents valuable books to a representative of the Russia – Việt Nam Cultural Centre at the Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia. — VNA/VNS Photo

MOSCOW — After nearly a year in operation, the Russia – Việt Nam Cultural Centre at the Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia has steadily expanded its activities and emerged as a trusted hub for cultural promotion projects, opening up new academic and career pathways linked to Việt Nam for Russian students.

During a working visit to Russia on May 20, a delegation from the Vietnam Education Publishing House, led by Editor-in-Chief Phạm Vĩnh Thái, presented and inaugurated an educational bookshelf at the centre.

With support from Saint Petersburg’s Committee for External Relations and the “Tradition and Friendship” Fund for Russia – Việt Nam cooperation, more than 500kg of books were shipped to the centre, including publications on Vietnamese history and culture, as well as Vietnamese-language learning materials for overseas Vietnamese (OVs) and foreign learners.

Thái said the publishing house has so far established eight educational bookshelves abroad and is expanding the model to cultural centres to introduce Việt Nam’s reading culture to international friends, help OVs preserve their mother tongue, and showcase the quality and diversity of Việt Nam’s educational publications.

He noted despite its recent establishment, the centre has already attracted strong interest and organised many useful activities, expressing confidence that the new collection will further enrich its activities and support learners of Vietnamese.

On the same occasion, books were also donated to Vietnamese communities in several regions across Russia. Distributed through the Union of Vietnamese Organisations in Russia, they will be made available in Vietnamese language classes, community reading spaces, and cultural corners.

Vice Rector for Innovation at the Herzen State Pedagogical University Aleksandr Strelsov said the centre has brought a fresh and positive dynamic to campus life. Vietnamese language programmes have gained traction among students, its library now has more Vietnamese-language books, and the institution has even begun publishing materials in Vietnamese.

The centre’s extracurricular activities, often supported by the local Vietnamese community, have further deepened mutual cultural understanding, he said, showing his belief that the centre will continue to grow and become an integral part of the university, contributing to the longstanding friendship between Việt Nam and Russia.

Director of the centre Tatyana Arseneva described it as the youngest cultural centre at the university, noting that beyond its initial mission of inspiring and spreading a love for Vietnamese culture and language, the centre now aims to turn that interest into serious career aspirations, encouraging more young Russians to choose Việt Nam as a destination for their future careers.

As part of the Việt Nam Culture Week in Russia, the centre, with support from the Vietnamese Embassy, hosted a language and culture festival under the theme Touching the Soul of Việt Nam through Books, highlighting the role of books in connecting the two cultures. — VNA/VNS