Ha Noi will host a book festival between April 20-26 to celebrate Viet Nam’s Book Day (April 4) and the World Book and Copyright Day (April 23). The event is intended to honour reading culture and create an opportunity for authors to introduce their works to readers.
On this occasion, many have suggested that Ha Noi should build book-streets exclusively reserved for introducing presitigious publishing houses and books, where readers can have space to read and share their passion for reading.
In HCM City, streets such as Nguyen Hue, Mac Thi Buoi and Ngo Duc Ke are usually where book festivals and presentations are held. Streets like Nguyen Xi, Dinh Le and Hoang Quoc Viet in Ha Noi only serve the purpose of buying and selling books.
Reading culture has been in the spotlight in recent years, with cultural experts and teachers often complaining that adults and young people do not read enough, especially in a more digitalised world. Last year, an official estimated that Vietnamese people read an average of only 0.8 books a year.
Do you have book-streets in your city? Have you ever visited one? Do you think that book streets will help spread the reading culture in Viet Nam? How can we build book-streets that also appeal to visitors and travellers?
Please reply by email to: opinion@vnsmail.com, or by fax to (84-4) 3 933 2311. Letters can be sent to The Editor, Viet Nam News, 79 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, Ha Noi. Replies to next week’s question must be received by Thursday morning, April 17, 2014.
Đăng ký: VietNam News
