Soldier's Heart

Wednesday, November 3, 2010, 6:30 - 8:30 PM
First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany
405 Washington Ave. Albany

Soldier's Heart is pleased to introduce our honored guests from Vietnam. This is a special opportunity for former adversaries to come together in the spirit of reconciliation and forgiveness. The dialog is open to all, but especially Vietnam veterans and their families. It is our hope that, through respectful and openhearted dialog, veterans from both sides of the conflict can achieve the kind of understanding and healing that they do on our annual Healing Journeys to Vietnam.

Since most Vietnam War veterans will not have the opportunity to go back to Vietnam, this event offers them a unique occasion for meaningful personal dialog, one that could change how they view the war and themselves forever.

Our Guests:

Tran Dinh Song was an ARVN (southern) air force veteran allied to US for 7 1/2 years, then spent 2 1/2 years in re-education camps after the war. He is an international cultural liaison, travel guide, former high school teacher. He is fluent in English, and has a MA in American Studies. He can speak on his personal experiences during the war, and everything about Viet Nam from history, culture, Buddhism, war and post-war histories and experiences from all points of view, reconciliation. He also talks about comparisons and contrasts between Vietnamese and American cultures. Mr. Song will serve as translator for our other guests.

Tam Tien is a Viet Cong veteran of many years, was severely wounded and left for dead, and has an amazing story of survival, rebirth and healing. He is a farmer and tourist host in the Mekong Delta. Before the war he was an elementary school teacher. He hates war but joined the VC after Americans bombed his school to cinders. He enjoys talking about the war from the Vietnamese perspective, international healing and reconciliation, Vietnamese agriculture and rural traditions.

Prof. Nguyen Minh Thai is a poet, journalist and chair of Communications and Journalism Dept, Univ. of Humanities and Social Sciences, Hanoi. She lived in Hanoi during the war with the U.S. and lost several family members to the bombings there. She is a leading poet, culture critic, and educator in Viet Nam as well as an expert on Vietnamese literature and culture in all aspects.

Please R.S.V.P. to 274-0501