Dr. Phan Bich Thien, a Vietnamese woman residing in Hungary, has become the only foreign woman featured in a book which highlights 21 Hungarian women that have made significant contributions across various fields, including science, society, economy, arts, and sports.
The book narrates their life stories and motivations through conversations between writer and journalist Szabó Attila Zoltan and these women. They include Hungarian chess champion Krizsán Edith; renowned singer Csepregi Éva; Prof. Dr. Szirmai Ágnes, Hungary's first female professor in the fields of ear, nose, throat (ENT), and balance neurology and 107-year-old Gizella, among others.
The author portrayed Thien as a symbol of connection between Vietnam and Hungary, and between Asia and Europe, exemplifying tireless dedication to promoting Vietnamese culture in Hungarian society. He shared that Thien consistently prioritises the collective interests over her own, and she has helped Hungarians become more familiar with and understanding of Vietnam.
At the launching ceremony of the book in mid-September, Charge d'Affaires of the Vietnamese Embassy in Hungary Le Trong Ha praised this meaningful event as it demonstrated the successful integration of Thien and the Vietnamese community in the host country. These efforts will contribute significantly to the completion of procedures for Vietnamese people in Hungary to be recognised as ethnic minorities, which the embassy and the Vietnamese Association in Hungary are carrying out, he said.
For her part, Thien expressed her honour to be named among these inspirational Hungarian women. She believed that they are beautiful pieces of life's mosaic, contributing their strength, brainpower, and passion to the development of society, motivating others to overcome challenges in life.
After listening to Thien's sharing of information about the flood situation and hardships faced by the Vietnamese people, the author and the organising board agreed to transfer all the proceeds from the book sales worth nearly 300,000 HUF (849.5 USD) at the launching ceremony, to support people in need in Vietnam./.
