(VOVworld) – The steering council for the compilation of a Vietnamese encyclopedia made its debut in Hanoi on Thursday.

Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam, chairman of the steering council, at the launch ceremony in Hanoi on June 18th, 2015.

The council which will be chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, will comprise of 16 members. About 2,000 scientists will participate in the compilation of the encyclopedia. The encyclopedia is comprised of 36 books covering a wide range of fields including the natural and social sciences, and defence.

The council convenes the first session right after the launch ceremony

Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam addressed the launch ceremony: “This is the first time Vietnam has compiled a national encyclopedia. The encyclopedia should be a book which gathers together fundamental knowledge and information about the nation which has always been proud of its 4000-year history. More particularly, it will reflect Lenin’s ideas and President Ho Chi Minh’s thoughts and be updated with state-of-the-art technology.”