Book Festival and reading culture 2014

(Cinet) – According to the Ministry of Information and Communications, book festival and reading culture 2014 is organized to commemorate Viet Nam’s first ever Book Day on April 21.

Addressing at the opening ceremony on April 20, Deputy Minister Huynh Vinh Ai affirmed that organizing the book festival and reading culture 2014 in Temple of Literature formed and created a beauty of reading culture and share some knowledge to the youth.

Authorized by PM Nguyen Tan Dung, deputy minister of Communications and Information Truong Minh Tuan announced the decision, stating that April 21 every year will be marked as Viet Nam Book Day.

The decision also states that the annual event seeks to encourage and promote reading habits in the community and to raise public awareness about the reading’s significance in accumulating knowledge, as well as in the formation and shaping of the human personality.

In addition, the day also aims to highlight the important role and position of books in the country’s cultural life, as well as to honour people involving in all stages of book publication, from writing, printing, publishing, distribution, and libraries.

Following a launching ceremony for Book Day at the Van Mieu (Temple of Literature) on April 20, other activities, such as book presenting, discussions on reading habits, and children’s story telling, were also held. At the National Library, a book fair entitled, From the Past to Nowadays has opened to the public until Saturday, April 26. Among the highlight of the fair is the display of a bronze book featuring the writings of Emperor Minh Mang (1791-1841) of the Nguyen dynasty. The book has been borrowed from a library in Germany.

The ongoing fair will also host talks with famous writer Nguyen Nhat Anh and historical researchers Duong Trung Quoc and Le Van Lan. Book streets will exhibit typical subjects, such as Dien Bien Phu Victory, national seas and islands, 60th anniversary of the capital city, and Viet Nam’s World Cultural Heritage sites. In the meanwhile, festival goers can visit book stalls to have a look at the publications in literature, culture and art, science and technology, education, and child-related books.

Titled Itinerary of Books, the exhibition showcases books printed between 1870 and 1975, ranging from pocket books to heavy volumes. Visitors will have the chance to see the works of Vietnamese authors as well as translated books written by foreign authors.

All entries have been borrowed from private collections and will be displayed for the public for the first time.

For the occasion, the centre is also organizing seminars on books and exchanges between authors and readers.

Book Festival and reading culture 2014 Related image(s)