Two collections of Vietnamese and Palestinian poems were launched on December 16 in Hanoi, offering powerful literary voices for peace, empathy, and shared human values.
The first, Under Olive Shade, is a bilingual poetry collection by Nguyen Quang Thieu, Chairman of the Vietnam Writers’ Association. The poems were written following his journey with Vietnamese writers to Palestinian lands scarred by war in May 2023.
Through quiet yet resolute verses, the collection becomes a prayer for peace and a call to awaken human conscience, expressing hope for freedom, dignity, and the better future the Palestinian people deserve.
Poets Murad and Nguyen Quang Thieu share insights at the launch event. Photo: Khieu Minh
The second book, Murad’s Stone, by Palestinian poet Murad Sudani, Chairman of the Palestinian Writers’ Union, was written in November 2023 amid deeply haunting realities. Emerging from within the lived experiences of Palestinians, the poems carry profound sorrow alongside an unyielding will to survive. They reflect the collective pain and the indestructible longing for life, justice, and homeland.
Palestinian Ambassador to Vietnam Saadi Salama noted that Under Olive Shade vividly reflects the heartfelt solidarity of the Vietnamese people with Palestine.
International and Vietnamese poets attend the launch event. Photo: Khieu Minh
He emphasized that Vietnamese writers witness and deeply feel the suffering of Palestinians in their struggle for independence, offering messages that reassure Palestinians they are not alone.
Poet Nguyen Viet Chien observed that Nguyen Quang Thieu writes not as a distant observer but as a witness who refuses silence before injustice.
His poetry is marked by restrained anger and compassion, affirming that while beauty endures, it remains surrounded by violence and pain, making these works both deeply moving and morally resonant, he said.
Translate by DO HUONG
VNQD