French Ambassador to Viet Nam Olivier Brochet bestows the honour upon Professor Van (Photo: VNA)
Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung attended a ceremony held at the French Embassy in Hanoi on October 4 to confer the Officer rank of France's Order of the Legion of Honour on Professor Jean Tran Thanh Van, a physicist, and his wife Professor Le Kim Ngoc, a biologist.
The award at the Officer level is a well-deserved recognition of the two Vietnamese-French professors’ lifelong devotion, highlighting the French State’s appreciation for their remarkable contributions to the advancement of science, the strengthening of international research links, and the promotion of France–Viet Nam friendship and scientific cooperation.
At the event, Dung presented flowers in congratulation to the couple.
French Ambassador to Viet Nam Olivier Brochet bestowed the honour upon Professor Van – President of the Rencontres du Viet Nam (Meeting Viet Nam) Association and Director of the International Centre for Interdisciplinary Science and Education (ICISE) – and Professor Ngoc – Chairwoman of Aide a l’Enfance du Viet Nam (the Association for Protection of Vietnamese Children).
Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung attends the ceremony and congratulates Professor Jean Tran Thanh Van and his wife Professor Le Kim Ngoc (Photo: VNA)
Earlier, on July 11, 2025, to mark France’s National Day, President Emmanuel Macron signed a decree promoting the professors to the Officer rank of the Legion of Honour. They were the only married couple to be promoted on this occasion, at the age of 91, demonstrating their extraordinary and enduring contributions to science, education, and humanitarian work.
On July 18, 2025, on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang sent a congratulatory letter to the professors, emphasising that this honour is not only a recognition of their tireless dedication to science and the younger generation, but also a source of pride for the overseas Vietnamese community and the homeland.
Both professors had previously been decorated with the Legion of Honour, the rank of Knight (Chevalier): Professor Van in February 2000, and Professor Ngoc in September 2016 in Ho Chi Minh City, personally conferred by then French President Francois Hollande during his state visit to Viet Nam.
The couple are best known for four major initiatives: The Meeting Viet Nam series of international scientific conferences (initiated in 1993), the ICISE Centre in former Quy Nhon city, Binh Dinh province (now in Gia Lai province) (established in 2013), the Vallet Scholarship Fund, and SOS Children’s Villages in Viet Nam./.
VNA
