On November 13, 2024, Kim Thúy addressed a delighted crowd of some 600 people, of which almost 200 were online, at Ottawa’s Rogers Centre. Thúy, who is a prolific author and winner of several prestigious awards, including the Governor General’s Literary Award, had been invited to speak by 91ƷϳԹ’s Alumni Engagement team. Masterfully hosted by the University’s Associate Vice-President, Francophonie Yves Pelletier, the evening unfolded in a friendly atmosphere, with Thúy doing an admirable job of communicating her infectious zest for life.
Thúy holds degrees in translation and law, and worked as a seamstress, interpreter, lawyer and restaurant owner before becoming an author and television host. With great humility and generosity, she related how the trials she went through and the bold choices she made enriched her life and made her the free woman she is today. Thúy’s loyal readers will have recognized some of the memorable stories she told in her first novel, Ru, which was published in 2009, translated into some 30 languages, distributed in 45 countries and adapted for the screen in 2023.
Awarded France’s Chevalière de l’O