Sea and island photo book exhibition: A meaningful cultural space in Hanoi
WVR - From August 15 to September 15, the photo exhibition “Mot dai non song” (A Stretch of Homeland) and the launch of the photo book “Bien của long nguoi” (The Sea in People’s Hearts) are being held at the Ho Guom Cultural Information Centre (No. 2 Le Thai To Street, Hoan Kiem), Hanoi.
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| Photo exhibition space. (Photo: Viet Vo) |
The event, solemnly organised by the Vietnam Sea and Islands Association in coordination with the People’s Committee of Hoan Kiem Ward and the Management Board of Hoan Kiem Lake and Hanoi Old Quarter, marked the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution (19 August 1945 - 19 August 2025) and the 80th anniversary of Vietnam’s National Day (2 September 1945 - 2 September 2025).
The exhibition and book launch serve as a cultural and artistic tribute, fostering historical awareness while inspiring patriotism and national pride among the people, particularly the younger generation. It also provides a meaningful cultural space that bridges tradition and modernity, instilling a shared sense of pride in every Vietnamese citizen.
Through documents, photographs, artefacts and thematic exchanges, the event promotes the beauty of Vietnam’s land and people as well as its sovereign integrity from borderlands to islands. It reaffirms Vietnam’s historical and legal basis over its sacred territories, particularly its seas and islands. The programme also introduces the journey “One Connected Homeland” undertaken by engineer and photographer Tran Vu Thanh, covering 9,817 kilometres along the length of the country in 40 days by motorbike as a tribute to the nation.
The event further presents the photo book “The Sea of People’s Hearts”, an elaborate 200-page publication (24x28 cm), released by the Information and Communications Publishing House in July 2025. During the exhibition, the organisers will host a series of interactive and thematic activities for the public, including a talk entitled “Pride in a Unified Homeland” featuring engineer and photographer Tran Vu Thanh and guests, a seminar “Green Truong Sa” introducing the project to plant one million trees on the archipelago and the programme “Moonlight of the Sea” offering support and Mid-Autumn celebrations for the children of officers and soldiers serving at sea and on islands. The exhibition will also welcome guided tours for groups of students ranging from primary to university level across the capital.
Mr Tran Vu Thanh, President of the Vietnam Sea and Islands Association, author of the book and featured works, shared:
“Through these photographs of the land and sea of our Fatherland, we cherish the hope that each image becomes a bridge, leading viewers along a journey across the nation - from the resilient Lung Cu Flag Tower in the northern winds, to border markers deep in the forests, and out to distant islands where the red flag with its golden star continues to fly proudly above the vast waters.
Each photograph, when scanned with a QR code, unveils bilingual Vietnamese-English stories, allowing not only Vietnamese but also international friends to grasp the beauty, history and meaning of each location.
If each of us carries within our hearts a fragment of the sea and islands - be it a photograph, a story, or a sapling planted on a faraway island - then the strength of unity and the love of the Fatherland will spread like waves, enduring and profound, linking every corner of the homeland together”.
