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The lecture offered participants the opportunity to learn about Vietnam from a less obvious perspective. Jakub Rybicki introduced the history of a country older than Poland and spoke about its religious diversity. Although Buddhism remains the dominant religion, approximately 7–10 per cent of the population professes Christianity, the second-largest religion in the country.

The speaker introduced the history of Christianity in Vietnam, discussing, among other things, the Catholic bishop who sheltered the Emperor of Vietnam, as well as important places of worship and local religious traditions. Of particular interest were the sanctuary in Tra Kieu, associated with Marian apparitions, and the unsuccessful siege of the local church.

There was also no shortage of stories related to the country's largest cities.  Participants learned about the history of Saigon, today's Ho Chi Minh City, the densely populated financial centre of Vietnam, whose symbol is the Cathedral of Notre Dame.  Rybicki also talked about Hanoi, the country's capital, and the St. Joseph's Cathedral located there.

At the meeting, topics related to French colonialism, symbolised by the famous "Church of the Rooster", as well as the stories of people who left their mark on Vietnam's history, also emerged. Among them was Kazimierz Kwiatkowski, a Polish conservator of monuments, who is still held in great respect in Vietnam for his contributions to the preservation of priceless historical objects.

The lecture was enriched with photographs and stories about the culture, the everyday life of the inhabitants and Vietnamese cuisine. There were also references to important historical events, including the famous photo of the burning monk, which became a symbol of protest and one of the most recognisable images of the 20th century.

ŁK