The Ho Chi Minh City Book Festival attracted nearly one million readers and earned more than VND 60 billion (USD 2.64 million), from March 19^th to 25^th, up over 20 per cent over the previous festival.

The Ho Chi Minh City Book Festival attracts nearly one million readers. (Photo: Zing.vn)

The information was announced at the closing ceremony of the tenth Ho Chi Minh City Book Festival 2018, held on March 25^th.

According to the General Director of the Saigon Culture Company Truong Van Hien, who is head of the organising board, the books on display at the festival met the demands of the customers. The booths had good communication and promotional programmes, quality products and a high turnover.

This year’s event themed “Book-Culture, Integration and Development” featured 900 booths of nearly 180 participants, including 40 foreign publishers from the U.S., the UK, France, and Singapore. The largest-ever volume of more than 300,000 book titles were on show to visitors, an increase of 27 per cent over 2016.

Visitors had the chance to meet and exchange with young singers and writers and were able to enjoy discounts of up to 50 per cent on their purchases.

Visitors enjoy discounts of up to 50 per cent on their purchases. (Photo: NXB Kim Dong)

BOOK DAY PROMOTES READING CULTURE

A book festival will take place at Thong Nhat Park in Hanoi, from April 18^th-24^th, opening a series of activities in response to Vietnam Book Day (April 21^st).

Themed ‘Books with families’, the festival will feature hundreds of booths set up by numerous publishing houses and printing companies nationwide.

The annual event aims to promote a reading culture among the community, as well as introduce the latest and popular books in different genres to readers.

In addition, a wide variety of activities will also be held to celebrate the 2018 Vietnam Book Day, including the introduction of writers, seminars and exchanges between readers and writers, as well as forums on books and political and cultural events.

On the occasion, a month of publishing books will also be held around the country from April 1^st to May 1^st, featuring the participation of numerous publishing houses.

Under the Prime Minister's Decision No. 284 / QD-TTg (February 24, 2014), April 21^st was selected as Vietnam Book Day./.

VNF