Swedish ambassador meets with Ho Chi Minh City bookworms
Newly-appointed Swedish Ambassador to Vietnam Pereric Högberg on December 21 gave Ho Chi Minh City book lovers a closer look into the life of world-renowned Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, as well as the culture of the Nordic country.
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“The evening is about Zlatan and the book, but also the other things that Zlatan stands for,” Ambassador Högberg told Tuoi Tre News at the event.
“If you are good at something, you should be able to succeed,” he said, adding the book is also about strong friendship, trust, and open society.
The Vietnamese version of the famous Sweden national team member’s autobiography was officially released in August this year under the title “Tôi là Zlatan Ibrahimovic” in Huy Hoang Bookstore.
Journalist Tran Minh said it took him about two years to translate the book.
The December 21 workshop, titled “Sweden – The Ambassadors of Contemporary Culture," also included a Q&A session with topics ranging from Sweden’s cultural values and education to opportunities for international students.
“It’s an opportunity to talk about the country where Zlatan comes from,” the Swedish ambassador said.
Högberg devotedly answered the excited crowd’s questions related to international students in Sweden, explaining his observations of the differences between Vietnamese and Swedes and giving tips for people who want to live in Sweden and communicate with Swedish people.
The ambassador also discussed similarities in the two countries' cultures, pointing out similarities in music and noting that traditional Vietnamese music seems to have the same tone as indigenous Swedish music.
Discussing food, the diplomat humorously shared that he lost a lot of weight after coming to Vietnam because the food is both extremely delicious and healthy.
The ambassador also proudly announced in Vietnamese that “bun thang," “pho bo”, and "cha ca” are amongst his favorite dishes.
He even repeated “bun thang” twice to make sure everyone understood his Vietnamese pronunciation.
Before his appointment as Swedish Ambassador to Vietnam in August, Högberg was the Deputy Director-General acting as Head of Sweden’s foreign ministry’s Africa Department.
