B: What better way to mark the occasion than by opening the mailbox and hearing from the people who have made VOV part of their lives?
A: There are plenty of messages to share. During the past week, VOVWORLD received 345 letters and phone calls from listeners in 33 countries and territories. Behind every letter is a personal story. So let's begin with one from India.
B: Chinmoy Mahato, President of the Guide International Radio Listeners Club in Jamshedpur, India, sent us an enthusiastic anniversary greeting. He wrote: “Heartily congratulations to our most favorite radio station - Voice of Vietnam on the occasion of 81st anniversary. I’m always with VOV for ever with all club members.” And Chinmoy has even made some suggestions for the future, including a monthly quiz and more information about VOV presenters. We certainly appreciate those ideas.
A: Chris Malboeuf, writing from Port Alberni, British Columbia of Canada, sent us a warm anniversary greeting. He wrote: “I would like to convey my greetings on the 81st anniversary of the founding of the Voice of Vietnam. Thank you for all you do and for the interesting programs for us listeners. I hope to continue to listen in for a long time.”
B: Thank you, Chris. And that's precisely what we hope for too, that you'll continue listening for many more years.
A: And there's something rather special about receiving anniversary greetings from Canada, India, Pakistan, Spain and so many other parts of the world. It reminds us that although radio signals travel through the air, the relationships they create are very real.
B: In his correspondence to VOVWORLD this week, Abid Hussain Sajid of Pakistan wrote that he has been listening to VOV for 36 years. He still keeps the QSL card VOV sent him on October 8, 1990. He wrote that during those 36 years he had gone from being a student to a teacher and was now preparing for retirement. Yet through all those changes, VOV remained a constant companion.
A: That's extraordinary. Think about what has changed since 1990: Personal computers, the internet, smartphones, social media and streaming. But for Abid, the sounds of VOV has remained part of the journey.
B: We also received a long greeting letter from Najimuddin of India, Director of the International DX Radio Listeners Club. He described VOV5 as “a vital bridge of friendship and understanding between Vietnam and the international community.”
A: Thank you all very much for sending greetings on the Voice of Vietnam’s 81st founding anniversary. We cannot read them all in one program but we really appreciate your love and loyalty and hope to continue receiving feedback from you.
B: On this occasion, we’d like to share a story about one of our collaborators who helped relay the Voice of Vietnam’s historic announcement of the liberation of South Vietnam on April 30, 1975, to international audiences through Radio Havana Cuba.
A: Now in his eighties, Robert David Cohen still recalls that moment with remarkable clarity, reflecting on his enduring ties with Vietnam and the friendships forged through broadcasting.
He said: “The recording studio was tiny, cramped, and unbearably hot because there was no air conditioning. Joan and I sat inside. Outside, in the control room, there would normally have been only a recording engineer and one VOV editor, but that day, after hearing the news, everyone working at Radio Havana Cuba - from editors in every department to technicians - crowded outside the studio. It was a historic moment, a moment of great joy and celebration.”
Here is the quote of the sound tape annoucing the victory of the Ho Chi Minh campaign in 1975 at the Radio Havana Cuba that Mr. Robert sent exclusively to VOVWORLD:
“The Ho Chi Minh Campaign has achieved complete victory. The Ho Chi Minh Campaign has achieved complete victory. The city of Saigon has been completely liberated... The city of Saigon has been completely liberated... The victory flag of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam is flying over the Independence Palace and throughout the streets of Saigon...”
A: Robert has preserved the recording of this extraordinary broadcast to this day, a testament to his deep affection for Vietnam. Between 1970 and 1975, Robert worked at Radio Havana Cuba, helping the Voice of Vietnam broadcast English-language programs to the United States.
“Those six years in Cuba changed my life. Che Guevara and the Cuban Revolution awakened me politically. I participated in countless anti-war demonstrations and wrote about the American peace movement,” said Mr. Robert.
B: Throughout its history, Vietnam has had friends around the world whose support and solidarity became part of the story of the liberation of South Vietnam and of the nation's subsequent development. We will never forget the friendship and support of those Americans who stood with Vietnam during the war, including Robert David Cohen.
A: You’re listening to the Letter Box on the Voice of Vietnam. Among the letters and emails sent to VOVWORLD this week, many share their interest in Vietnam, its culture and people. Muhammad Aqeel Bashir of Pakistan asks how local communities can preserve traditional fishing practices while welcoming more tourists to Ngư Mỹ Thạnh fishing village in Hue city.
B: In Ngư Mỹ Thạnh, the answer lies in community-based tourism. Traditional fishing techniques, local food, boat-making and daily life can become tourism experiences when local people are directly involved. At the same time, visitor numbers, waste management and the use of natural resources are carefully controlled.
A: In other words, tourism helps the community preserve its way of life - not replace it. When visitors leave with a better understanding of local culture and residents gain a sustainable source of income, tourism and preservation can reinforce each other.
B: Next, Siddhartha Bhattacharjee of India asks about internet and smartphone use in Vietnam and which social platforms are popular.
A: The Internet has become an indispensable part of Vietnamese people’s daily lives, with nearly 80 million users and an average usage time of about seven hours per day, according to data from the Viet Nam Internet Network Information Center (VNNIC). In Vietnam, smartphones have become an essential tool not only for communication and entertainment but also for banking, shopping, public services, education and access to news.
B: Social media is particularly important among younger Vietnamese. Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and messaging platforms have become part of everyday communication. And this is also changing how audiences consume radio.
A: Now, a listener may discover a VOV story on social media, watch a short video, listen to the full program on the website and then follow a podcast.
B: Last but not least, we’d like to inform you that as from this week, our Weekend Music Session will be broadcast on Sunday after the Sunday Show segment as we will add one more Current Affairs on Saturday with updates in Vietnam and around the world.
A: For now, we'd like to thank everyone who has sent VOVWORLD anniversary greetings from India, Pakistan, Canada, Spain, Mexico, Cambodia, China, South Korea and many other places.
A: And to those who have been listening for decades, as well as those who have only recently discovered VOVWORLD, thank you for being part of our story.
B: Keep your letters, emails, reception reports, comments and questions coming. Your messages don't simply fill our mailbox, they help shape our conversation with the world.
A: That's all for this week's Letter Box! Thank you for listening.
