The France - Viet Nam information portal - Hoa Phuong Vi Library - was inaugurated at a press conference in Ha Noi on April 7.

Inaugural ceremony of France - Viet Nam information portal - Hoa Phuong Vi Library (Photo: VNA)

The digital library is within the framework of a cooperation agreement between the National Library of Viet Nam (NLV) and the National Library of France (BnF).

Speaking at the press conference, NLV Director Kieu Thuy Nga said the project has been opened at https://heritage.bnf.fr/france-vietnam.

The portal features the historical, cultural, and literary interaction between Vietnam and France from the 17^th century to the middle of the 20^th century via 2,164 documents collected and digitalised by the two libraries and the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development.

Of the total, about 1,157 digital documents were contributed by the NLV, in both the French and Vietnamese languages.

First introduced on February 12, 2021, the portal attracted over 5,300 visits in the first month of its trial run, over 1,200 of which were from Viet Nam.

The two libraries store the world’s largest collection of documents on Indochina and Viet Nam from the 17^th century to the middle of the 20^th century.

French Ambassador to Viet Nam Nicolas Warnery said the project reflects the BnF and partners’ determination to follow UNESCO recommendations on public access to heritage documents in the digital era.

Professor Le Hong Ly, Chairman of the Viet Nam Folk Literature and Arts Association, said the project enables folk art researchers to access original documents and help restore several folk festivals that have fallen into oblivion.