The festival has attracted a large number of readers (Credit: VGP)

The festival features 170 display booths introducing various kinds of books and publications including books for children, literature, economy, science and technology, foreign languages e-books and digital devices.

Notably, in addition to the participation of 46 publishers and booksellers in the country, this year’s festival attracted 20 well-known foreign publishers including ASEAN Publishers’ Association, Cambridge, Oxford (the UK), Copperath (Germany), Glanat (France), Frobel-kan (Japan) and Susseaeta (Spain).

The books on display have been divided into two major subjects including “Hanoi and ASEAN countries” with publications on the co-operative activities between Vietnam, particularly Hanoi, with ASEAN members and “Vietnam’s sea and islands” with books, photos, maps and documents affirming the country’s sovereignty over the seas and islands.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Chairman of Hanoi municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung emphasised that the 2016 Hanoi Book Festival aims to not only honour reading culture but also recall the cultural tradition of the capital as well as review the 20 years since Vietnam joined ASEAN.

The event also offers an opportunity for domestic and international publishing houses to meet and promote their products through exchange programmes as well as co-operative, purchase and transactions activities, said Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Hoang Vinh Bao.

During the five-day event, readers will have a chance to buy books being sold at promotional prices and talk with numerous renowned writers, culturists and researchers.

On the sidelines of the festival, a wide variety of other activities will be held such as the award ceremony for the contest ‘Capital’s reading cultural ambassador’ for children, a screening of a documentary film introducing the heritages of Hanoi and a programme to call for support in purchasing books for mountainous communes and people and soldiers in Truong Sa (Spratly) and Ly Son island districts.

Source:NDO