Music to their ears: Pop singer Phuong Thanh (left) visited the Xuyen Moc prison in Dong Nai Province's Cam My District on a goodwill visit on Sunday. — VNS Photo Van Dat

DONG NAI  (VNS) — Prisoners at Xuyen Moc Prison in Dong Nai's Cam My District had an unforgettable Sunday with musician The Hien, pop singer Phuong Thanh, MC Thanh Bach, magician Huy Nguyen and other artists during a charitable event held by the First News Book Company.

More than 2,000 books and CDs, many of them about the authors' determination to overcome challenges and succeed, were donated to the prisoners with the expectation of inspiring people who are in jail.

During the exchange programme, Major General Ho Thanh Dinh, chief of the Ministry of Public Security's eighth General Department, said that donating books and talking with prisoners was a meaningful activity.

Dinh said the donated books would help police officials in the prison educate and motivate the prisoners.

"These interesting books will inspire us to overcome difficulties in life. I hope more activities like this will be organised in other prisons," he said.

According to Nguyen Van Phuoc, director at First News Book Company, his company had given books to prisoners five to six times.

"We not only bring our books here, we bring you our hearts," Phuoc said, adding that people accused or found guilty of crime still had a future.

Businessmen Ho Van Trung, authour of Gian Truan Chi La Thu Thach (Hardness is Merely a Challenge), one of the titles given to the prisoners, told them he had been in jail three times in his life.

"You should never be pessimistic and give up," was his text message to the prisoners who attended the exchange.

A 28-year-old prisoner, who wished to remain unnamed, told Viet Nam News that he expected the book to help him learn better and return to his family.

"I hope there will be more and more programmes like this. After the exchange programme, I am motivated," he said.

Truong Thi Hong Tam, a former drug user, sex worker and HIV carrier, who has been in jail several times, also came and spoke with the prisoners about her books.

She donated 100 books Hoi ky Tam Sida – Vuot Len Cai Chet (Tam Sida – Overcoming Death).

The programme titled Phat Trien Hat Giong Tam Hon (Developing the Seed for the Soul) has been carried out in the southern region for years.

Last year, the First News Book Company handed over 1,500 copies of Limitless by Nick Vujicic to the Z30D prison library. — VNS