The initiative was founded and directly coordinated by Le Thuong, Vice President of the Vietnamese Women’s Associations in Japan, as a long-term community project designed to create a shared knowledge space for the Vietnamese community.

Speaking at the launch ceremony, Le Thuong said the idea emerged from the practical needs of the Vietnamese community in Japan, particularly young people and Vietnamese families living abroad.

“The project aims to create a common space for sharing knowledge, fostering Vietnamese culture and strengthening community bonds,” she said.

The organisers said the initiative aligns with Vietnam’s policies on overseas Vietnamese affairs, contributing to cultural preservation, community cohesion and people-to-people diplomacy, while helping promote the image of Vietnam internationally.

Built on an open-space model, the community bookstore brings together Vietnamese-language publications, including children’s books, cultural and historical works and life-skills materials suitable for readers of all ages. Through reading activities, interaction and knowledge sharing, the initiative seeks to encourage lifelong learning and strengthen intergenerational ties within the community.

At the ceremony, the project team expressed appreciation for support from Vietnam Education Publishing House and Smiles Company, an international remittance service provider, which have backed the initiative since its early stages.

Online Vietnamese bookstores open in Europe

Launched in the beginning of 2021 by five Vietnamese woman, Tiem Mot bookstores (worm store) open in different countries, with the aim of bringing Vietnamese books to where there are Vietnamese people and who needs local books as well as preserving the mother language and culture of the fatherland.