Hung Yen (VNA) – A national ceremony commemorating the 300th birth anniversary of cultural luminary Le Quy Don (1726–2026) was held at the memorial site dedicated to the renowned scholar in the northern province of Hung Yen on the evening of July 31.
At the ceremony, Jonathan Wallace Baker, UNESCO Representative to Vietnam, presented UNESCO's resolution honouring Le Quy Don to representatives of the Vietnamese Government and Hung Yen province.
Delivering the keynote address, Politburo member and Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc said that although three centuries has passed since Le Quy Don's birth, his passion for learning, commitment to self-education, respect for truth, practical thinking and dedication to the nation continued to inspire successive generations.
He described the scholar's life and achievements as enduring symbols of Vietnamese intellect and character, representing a source of pride not only for Hung Yen but for the entire nation.
The Permanent Deputy PM called for more systematic research into Le Quy Don's life, thought and intellectual legacy, together with greater efforts to collect, catalogue, translate, annotate, publish and digitalise his works. Tuc proposed establishing a unified shared database to provide scholars, teachers, students and the wider public, both in Vietnam and abroad, with accurate and convenient access to these resources. He stressed that research should maintain the highest standards of scientific rigour and objectivity while highlighting both the historical significance and contemporary relevance of Le Quy Don's legacy. Particular attention should be given to bringing the values embodied in his life and scholarship closer to younger generations, alongside the sustainable preservation and promotion of monuments, documents and artefacts associated with the eminent cultural figure.
The Permanent Deputy PM also underscored the importance of proactively expanding international cooperation within the UNESCO framework and with countries that supported Vietnam's nomination dossier. He called for more international conferences, exhibitions, publications and academic exchanges devoted to Le Quy Don, saying such activities would help introduce Vietnam's history, culture and intellectual traditions to the world, promote dialogue and mutual understanding, and further strengthen friendship between Vietnam and the international community.
Speaking at the ceremony, Party Central Committee member and Secretary of the Hung Yen Party Committee Pham Quang Ngoc described UNESCO's recognition as a tremendous source of pride for the province and a testament to the international community's appreciation of Vietnam's rich cultural heritage and intellectual stature.
The commemoration concluded with a special art performance attended by delegates, locals, and visitors. The programme not only paid tribute to Le Quy Don but also conveyed the enduring message that knowledge is a powerful force, culture forms the spiritual foundation of society, and knowledge and innovation remain essential drivers of the country's future development.
Widely regarded as one of Vietnam's greatest cultural figures and scholars, Le Quy Don was born into a family of distinguished academics and displayed extraordinary talent from an early age, earning recognition as a child prodigy.
After finishing first in the imperial examinations three times, he went on to build a distinguished career as an upright mandarin and an outstanding polymath. His prolific body of work spans a wide range of disciplines, including history, geography, philosophy, literature and economics.
In recognition of his exceptional contributions, UNESCO adopted a resolution to jointly commemorate the 300th anniversary of his birth, acknowledging that his intellectual legacy, commitment to practical learning and humanistic values transcend national borders and form part of humanity's shared cultural heritage./.
VNA
