On May 30, Eastern International University (EIU) hosted the launch of the book “From Memories to the Future” by Professor Trần Văn Thọ, welcoming researchers and lecturers from various universities, entrepreneurs, social activists from Binh Duong and Ho Chi Minh City, along with EIU’s staff, faculty members, and students.
With over 500 pages, From Memories to the Future is more than just a personal memoir it serves as a bridge connecting past and present, memories and aspirations, through the life journey of Professor Trần Văn Thọ.
Book launch by Professor Trần Văn Thọ
Held in the morning of May 30 at EIU (Thu Dau Mot City, Binh Duong), the book launch attracted scholars, lecturers from multiple universities, businesspeople, and social workers in Binh Duong and Ho Chi Minh City, as well as EIU’s academic and administrative community.
Professor Trần Văn Thọ (born in 1949 in Quang Nam Province) is a highly respected economist both in Vietnam and internationally. He is an Honorary Professor at Waseda University (Tokyo, Japan) and a recipient of the prestigious Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon, from the Japanese government. In Vietnam, he has made significant contributions to economic thought as a member of economic advisory teams or policy research groups under Prime Ministers Võ Văn Kiệt, Phan Văn Khải, and Nguyễn Xuân Phúc. He is also the author of several influential economic books in Japan and Vietnam, five of which have been honored with the “Good Book Award.”
Professor Trần Văn Thọ at the book launch
From Memories to the Future is an honest and profound reflection on Professor Thọ’s life journey, in which he expresses constant concern for culture, education, and a prosperous future for Vietnam. The book encapsulates over half a century of academic pursuit and lived experience in Japan. More than a personal recollection, it embodies a meaningful connection between the past and the present, between memory and ambition.
The book also conveys the author’s major concerns, such as: How can Vietnam transform from a war-torn, underdeveloped nation into a high-income country? What does an ideal developed country look like one where people live happily and civilly, and are respected by the international community?
Dr. Ngô Minh Đức, Rector of EIU, remarked that although Professor Trần Văn Thọ is an economist, he possesses deep understanding of Vietnamese culture, society, and history.
“The professor’s research and works always place economic issues within the broader social context, demonstrating a systemic mindset and a comprehensive vision that spans past, present, and future,” Dr. Đức shared. “This is also the spirit EIU aspires to promote: educating a new generation of intellectuals who are not only professionally competent, but also culturally grounded and socially responsible”./.
