French Ambassador to Vietnam Olivier Brochet, on behalf of President Emmanuel Macron, has just awarded the Legion of Honor Officer to Professor Tran Thanh Van and his wife Professor Le Kim Ngoc – two overseas Vietnamese scientists who have devoted their lives to science, education and humanistic values.
Ambassador Olivier Brochet awarded the Legion of Honor Officer to Professor Tran Thanh Van and his wife, Professor Le Kim Ngoc.
Speaking at the ceremony, Professor Tran Thanh Van shared: “If France is the place where my dreams come true, then Vietnam is always the place I look forward to.” That statement almost encapsulates his nearly six-decade journey with his partner - Professor Le Kim Ngoc. That journey is a story about faith in knowledge, about the aspiration to bring science closer to people and the homeland.
For Professor Tran Thanh Van, the honor of receiving the noble award from France is not only for him but also a tribute to his companions, especially his wife - his collaborator and also the greatest source of encouragement in his life.
“This honor belongs to all those who believe with us in the value of science and humanity,” he said.
More than half a century ago, with “a crazy bet”, he founded the international scientific conference series Meet Moriond, where the world's leading physicists exchange, debate and open up new research directions.
From that foundation, he continued to initiate the Rencontres du Vietnam and established the International Center for Interdisciplinary Science and Education (ICISE) in Quy Nhon – a symbol of Vietnam's aspiration for knowledge in the new era.
Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung congratulated Professor Tran Thanh Van and his wife Professor Le Kim Ngoc.
“We have together built in Quy Nhon a ‘gem for science and dialogue’. But ICISE is not the final destination. It is just the starting point, the opening of an exciting journey in a new era of the scientific revolution in Vietnam, recently initiated by General Secretary To Lam,” Professor Tran Thanh Van emphasized.
In the middle of a peaceful coastal city, ICISE has become a place where people, nations and generations meet. Where science is not just equations but the language of dialogue and sharing. From there, Quy Nhon has aroused the aspiration to become the “science capital” of Vietnam, where every summer there are international conferences gathering leading scientists, including many Nobel Prize winners.
Besides her husband who is known for his “scientific meetings”, Professor Le Kim Ngoc brings a different light: soft, humane and profound. She shared that the award is “joy transformed into gratitude”, a recognition not only for the two individuals but also for the friends, colleagues, and generations who have accompanied and continued their journey.
ICISE Center in Quy Hoa Valley.
Professor Kim Ngoc and her husband always consider themselves “pavers”, silently placing each stone of love to pave the way for the next generation. She compares ICISE to a green forest, where beside the ancient trees are young shoots growing strongly. “A single tree trunk does not make a forest, but the leaves of all the trees will nurture the seeds to blossom and bear fruit like the desert after the rain”, she said.
She sent a message to young Vietnamese women: believe in yourself, dare to dream and never lose your identity no matter where you are. And to the younger generation, she said: when we know how to listen and share with others, we can remove barriers so that humanity can spread.
“Money and fame can turn into smoke in an instant, but compassion and love are forever imprinted deep in the human mind and will be passed from generation to generation,” Professor Le Kim Ngoc shared.
National and international scientists gathered at ICISE Center.
Looking back at the journey of more than half a century of the couple Professor Tran Thanh Van - Professor Le Kim Ngoc from Paris to Quy Nhon, from Moriond to ICISE, one sees not only a story of science, but also a story of love, faith and tireless dedication to the homeland. When honored with the most noble award of France, they still humbly call themselves "the sowers". But those seeds have sprouted into a forest, reaching far and wide, leaving a deep mark on a journey where knowledge meets humanity.
Source: https://doanhnghiepvn.vn/cong-nghe/gs-tran-thanh-van-icise-moi-chi-la-khoi-dau-cua-cuoc-cach-mang-khoa-hoc/20251006102436776
![[Photo] Opening of the 13th Conference of the 13th Party Central Committee](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/1200x675/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2025/10/6/d4b269e6c4b64696af775925cb608560)
Comment (0)