On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Vietnam - France relations (1973 - 2023), the Vietnam Association of Rural Development Sciences and Meritorious Artist Huong Giang, vocal lecturer at the Military University of Culture and Arts released the music video titled "Your Countryside River, My Hometown River" to pay tribute to French scientists who have been contributed to the development of Vietnamese agriculture.

Accordingly, the MV was inspired by the song of the same name by musician Doan Bong and was filmed in Van Phuc silk village (Ha Dong district), Dao The Tuan street (Long Bien district, Hanoi) and some localities on the Day River flow through.

Jean Michel Gallet, Meritorious Artist Huong Giang, journalist Vuong Xuan Nguyen and Mai Hoa are the characters in the MV. Source: vanhoavaphattrien.vn

The main character in the MV is Jean Michel Gallet, a French agricultural expert who came to Vietnam in the early 90s of the last century to help Vietnam's agricultural industry. Nearly 40 years later, he had special feelings for this land. He considered Vietnam his second home and became familiar with the rivers across the S-shaped strip of land.

Gallet was born in 1947 and was working as an assistant director for trade union action and then international cooperation for the National Federation of Agricultural Holders' Unions (Fédération nationale des syndicats d'exploitants agricoles - FNSEA). His job gave him many opportunities to be in Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries.

Gallet fell in love with the hidden beauty of Vietnamese countryside. During the 50-year journey of Vietnam-France relations, he had nearly 40 visits and worked in Vietnam. His trips lasting from a few weeks to several years gave him experiences about Vietnam, its country and people, which he recorded through hundreds of thousands of documentary photos.

During this year's special visit, Gallet and his friends in Vietnam visited the craft villages along the Day River and relived his beautiful memories of witnessing a changing Vietnamese countryside day by day. Meritorious Artist Huong Giang's MV recreated his beautiful memories and touching love story with Vietnam.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development awards commemorative medal “For the cause of agriculture and rural development in Vietnam" to Jean Michel Gallet in January 2023. Source: nongthonvaphattrien.vn

The song "Your Countryside River, My Hometown River" was written by musician Doan Bong from the poem of the same name by author Lai Vu from 1978. It is touching because of the symbolic metaphor of love with two typical rivers of his hometown, Da River and Day River.

In contrast to the fierce and energetic Da River symbolizing the young man, the gentle and soft Day River flowing through the fields west of the rich suburbs of Hanoi with many famous landscapes such as Huong Tich pagoda, Tram mountain, Hat Mon temple, is a young woman. The two rivers create a beautiful homeland love affair. This is also a symbol of beautiful international friendship when century-old projects such as the Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant on the Da River have brought light and energy to the country's development.

In the MV, Meritorious Artist Huong Giang's sweet, lovely lyrical soprano voice as well as pure, emotional, and delicate singing style captured the audience's hearts. Meanwhile, the profound lyric about the country, and the people of Vietnam, convey the message of love and desire to build the homeland, praising the good friendship between Vietnam and the international community in the cause of innovation, integration and comprehensive development.

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