(VOVworld) – “Family, Friends, and Country” is the title of a memoir by former Vice President Nguyen Thi Binh, recently released nationwide. The 400-page book consists of 14 chapters about her childhood and career as a revolutionary and, a diplomat who led the Vietnamese negotiating team for Paris Peace Accord signed in 1973. Lan Anh has more:

Nguyen Thi Binh decided to choose a very simple name for her memoir “Family, Friends, and Country” as these are the factors that gave her strength during her full and dynamic life. Madam Binh told VOV that she spent much time to complete her work: "During my tenure as Vice President, I did not have time to note down anything, even at the Paris conference. After that, I had more time and wanted to write about my experiences. I considered what I should write in this memoir since over my 85 years, there were so many landmark activities and events. It took me several years to write this book. Then I wondered whether I should publish it or not. On my 85^th birthday, I think it’s necessary to make public the book to share my experiences."

“Family, Friends, and Country”: Nguyen Thi Binh’s memoir

The book expresses Madam Binh’s thoughts about the country's struggle for independence and other historical events. It also reveals her beautiful memories of her family, friends. Binh said she is lucky to have lived at the time of the country’s most historic events in the early 20^th century. Madam Binh: "With this book I recall the time I lived with my family, friends, and my revolutionary activities. There are so many unforgettable things. I feel that I’m very lucky as my life is closely associated with important historic events of the 20^th century: the resistance wars against the French colonialists, the US imperialists, and 30 years of peace after the war."

On behalf of people of her generation, Nguyen Thi Binh shares in her book the strong sentiments of young people during the country’s revolutionary period. With the memoir, Binh conveys the message: national unity is the key to every victory at any age. She told VOV: "I think the biggest lesson of the Vietnamese people is unity, national unity for a common goal. This brought us success in the past, is expected to bring us success at present and in the future as well. To build a strong country we need people with personality, dignity, ideals, and who are trustworthy."
Nguyen Phuong Loan, an editor of the Tri Thuc Publishing House, said Madam Binh’s memoir has inspired her love of life. Loan told VOV: "I have learned a lot from this book. I was impressed with Ms. Binh’s saying when she was very young, before 1948, on page 42 in her memoir: When she asked me what she can do for the resistance war, I told her that she can do anything she thinks is good for the resistance war, and should not do anything bad for it. This saying has inspired me a lot."
Writer Nguyen Ngoc has worked with Madam Binh during the completion of the memoir. He said: "When holding this book, people would think of some untold stories about the Paris Conference, which is known as the longest negotiation in the global diplomatic history with Madam Binh playing a key role. But this book is about the factors that created her special inner strength so that this woman could play a modern role in the country’s history."
Madam Binh was Vietnam’s first female foreign minister and head of the delegation of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Viet Nam in Paris during 1968-1973. She held the title Vice President of Viet Nam during 1992-2002.