Vietnamese authors Nguyen Binh Phuong and Nguyen Mot have been honoured with the prestigious Southeast Asian Writers Award (S.E.A. Write Award) for 2022-2023 in recognition of their outstanding literary contributions.
Phuong, born in 1965 in the northern province of Thai Nguyen, received the 2022 award for his novel “Mot vi du xoang” (An ordinary example), which previously won the Vietnam Writers' Association (VWA) Award in 2021. Currently serving as the editor-in-chief of Van nghe Quan doi (Military Literature and Arts) magazine and Van Nghe (Literature and Arts) newspaper, the writer authored six novels and five poetry collections, with works translated into English, French, and Korean.
Mot, born in 1964 in the central province of Quang Nam, was awarded the 2023 honour for his novel “Tu gio thu sau den gio thu chin” (From the sixth to the ninth hour) which earned him both the VWA Award 2023 and the Dong Nai literary and artistic award. The versatile writer has published nearly 20 books, including novels, short stories, essays, and film scripts.
Speaking to the Vietnam News Agency in Bangkok, Mot highlighted the importance of the award in fostering cultural and literary connections. Through literature, people become closer, understand each other better, and share harmonious cultural exchanges, he remarked, expressing his hope that Vietnam could establish a literary award for regional writers to promote cultural dialogue.
Launched in 1979 by the Thai Royal Family, the S.E.A. Write Award is recognised as one of the most esteemed literary honours in the region. Over 43 editions, it has expanded to include representatives from all the 10 ASEAN member states./.
VNA
