Vietnamese translator wins Hans Christian Andersen Award 2018

Vietnamese children book translator Tran Thi Minh Tam is among three recipients of the Hans Christian Andersen 2018 (Photo: phapluatxahoi.vn)

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese children book translator Tran Thi Minh Tam is among three recipients of the Hans Christian Andersen 2018, according to the Embassy of Denmark in Vietnam.

The award is presented to Tam for successfully popularising the reading of Hans Christian Andersen in Vietnam. She is the first Vietnamese to receive the award.

“Her work with H.C. Andersen has stretched over almost 20 years and has resulted in an impressive fairytale-edition published in 2003 with 88 fairytales at first and later 100 fairytales. In different editions these collections have since been published in 16 impressions and another impression is coming in 2018”, wrote the award committee.

“This impressive work means that schools all over Vietnam have been able to work with H.C. Andersen – and not just read his fairytales but also use them as an inspiration when working with visual arts, music and drama in school. The young people of Vietnam have thus acquired the fairytales as an entire world for their growing experience”.

Two other awardees are Klaus Müller-Wille, a Swiss philosophy scholar for his research on the writer’s interest in the materiality of literature and Danish composer Sebastian for giving soundtrack to Andersen’s fairytales.

The award ceremony is slated for April 3 in Andersen’s hometown of Odense city, Denmark.

Since 1996 the Hans Christian Andersen Award Committee has presented its Honorary Award to 44 different organisations and individuals from 12 different countries.

The award is presented in recognition of outstanding achievements in working with Hans Christian Andersen and of contributions to promoting and spreading further knowledge of the Danish national poet in many parts of the world. This work is expressed in the publication of new translations and publications, in many forms of artistic creativity, in philanthropic or educational activities.-VNA