Excerpt from Radio Voice of Vietnam (VOV) interview with GVFA Chairman Dr. Gunter Giesenfeld.

Reporter: Could you please tell us about the association’s development over the years?

Mr Gunter Giesenfeld: The GVFA was established in 1976, one year after Vietnam was reunified in 1975. Around 40 organisations had supported Vietnam during its war time. After Vietnam was totally liberated, we thought of rallying support for Vietnam and we have succeeded in gathering organisations and individuals, including Party members and scientists interested in different areas in Vietnam.

Every year, my association publishes a magazine about Vietnam with four issues, about 100 pages each, covering Vietnam’s latest developments in the current globalization process.

Reporter: The association is scheduled to hold its congress next week. Could you outline some major activities in 2010?

Mr Gunter Giesenfeld:  Last year, the association finalised the translation of Le Minh Khue’s second literary book into German. We have so far translated 13 of his literary works and his book will be published soon. Most recently, we also translated a book featuring modern literature written by Nguyen Huy Thiep. The association made a tour of 12 German cities to introduce Nguyen Huy Tiep’s literary works and attended an international literature fair in Berlin.

It invited a water puppet troupe and a group of Vietnamese writers to Germany. In addition, we also organised Vietnam tours for German people.

Reporter: What will the association do in the following years?

Mr Gunter Giesenfeld: The association will focus on providing more information about Vietnam’s culture and literature as well as its new economic achievements.

We already gave in-depth reports on the results of the 11^th National Party Congress based on information we collected from Vietnamese newspapers. We will write more about Vietnam. I’m very interested in Vietnam’s history and what led to the Dien Bien Phu victory and the Geneva conference. I think not all German youth know much about Vietnam.

Reporter: it seems Vietnam holds an important place in your heart. Where did your love for Vietnam come from?

Mr Gunter Giesenfeld: My private library has around 2,000 books on Vietnam, which are written in English, French and Vietnamese.

My love came from the anti-war movements in 1960-1970. After that I wrote a historical book on the Indochina war which was reprinted twice in Germany. Since then I’ve followed with keen interest everything happening in Vietnam.

Like Germany Vietnam is actively struggling against the downside of globalization and consequences of excessive economic development. I hope that Vietnam will find a suitable solution to the issue.

Reporter: Thank you very much