A special photo exhibition featuring Wilfred Burchett, one of the outstanding journalists of the 20 th century and a great Australian friend of Vietnam, opened in Hanoi on Sept. 14.

Under the theme, “Wilfred Burchett and Vietnam”, the exhibition, co-organised by the Ho Chi Minh Museum, Vietnam News Agency (VNA), the Union of Vietnam-Australia Friendship Organisation and Wilfred Burchett’s family, was designed to commemorate the journalist on the occasion of the 100 th anniversary of his birthday (Sept. 16).

Wilfred Burchett had offered much favour and love for the Vietnamese people and land, VNA General Director Tran Mai Huong said, noting that his books, articles and films on Vietnam were read and seen around the world and had a major influence in alerting world public opinion to the American War against Vietnam and rallying support against the war.

On display at the exhibition, which will run until Oct. 4, are 100 photographs taken by the Australian journalist in Vietnam from March 1954 – when he first visited President Ho Chi Minh in his jungle headquarters in Thai Nguyen province – to May 1966, when he recorded the first ever televised interview with the late Vietnamese President.

The two documentary films shown in the exhibition, entitled “ North Vietnam - Life under Bombs” and “Maquis de Viet Cong” were produced by Wilfred Burchett in partnership with the French film maker Roger Pic.

Some photos featuring Wilfred Burchett were taken by others, using his camera, and included the famous journalist.

All the photos and films and their captions and complementary information were selected and prepared by Burchett’s son – artist George Burchett.

Having spent nearly 30 years in the journey with the Vietnamese people, the Australian journalist reported the various stages of Vietnam ’s struggle on the road to socialism, independence and reunification.

He wrote a total of eight books on Vietnam which become international best sellers and were translated into some 30 languages.

“Wilfred Burchett’s book, like the Vietnamese struggle itself, is a defence of civilisation and human morality,” VNA General Director Huong quoted UK philosopher Bertrand Russell as saying./.