Annual book fair to open during Tet in HCM City

HCM City (VNS/VNA) - The annual Ho Chi Minh City Tet (Lunar New Year) Book Fair will be held from January 22-28 (or the 28th day of last lunar month to the fourth day of the first lunar month of the new year) in downtown Ho Chi Minh City.

Tu Luong, deputy director of the city’s Department of Information and Communications and head of the organising board, said: “This year’s book fair has the theme of Dieu Ky Dieu Tu Sach (Magical Things in Books) to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the event, which has been one of HCM City’s must-visit attractions during the Tet holiday.”

The fair will display around 65,000 book titles from four local major publishers and book distributors, including the HCM City Book Distribution Corporation, Phan Thi, Phuong Nam Books and Thai Ha Books.

Most of the books will feature politics, history and cultural topics to mark the 90th anniversary of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

A kids’ zone called “The Gioi Ky Dieu Cua Em” (My Magical World) will feature children’s books and traditional games.

The event’s highlight will be an exhibition Sai Gon – Thanh Pho Ho Chi Minh Trong Cach Mang Giai Phong Dan Toc (1930-1975) (Sai Gon – HCM City during the Revolution to Liberate the Country), organised by the State Records and Archives Department of Vietnam.

Dang Thanh Tung, head of the department, said: “The exhibition will be an opportunity for the people and visitors in HCM City to approach first-hand documents on the Communist Party’s leadership role in the resistance war and in the process of nation building, and different periods of HCM City’s history.”

The exhibition will showcase more than 300 photos and documents preserved by the National Archives of Vietnam, the National Archives of France, Vietnam News Agency, and museums nationwide.

The photos and documents depict soldiers and residents in HCM City during the resistance war from 1930-1975.

The Tre (Youth) Newspapers will host an exhibition showcasing photos and documents about the oil rig safeguarding post No1 (DK1) on the Truong Sa (Spratly) Islands established 30 years ago, as well as the life of soldiers who are on duty at the rig.

A replica of DK1 rig will be set up to introduce the visitors a closer look and understanding of the rig, which is considered a “bulwark on the sea”.

A photo exhibition on the achievements of the Communist Party of HCM City in the 2016-2020 period and the city’s process in building a "smart city" will also be organised.

The HCM City Journalists Association will display more than 100 special publications from the city’s major newspapers and magazines including Tre (Youth), Thanh Nien (Young People) and Sai Gon Giai Phong (Liberated Sai Gon) at the fair.

In addition, there will be several talks between authors and cultural experts and visitors during the event.

The fair will take place on Mac Thi Buoi, Nguyen Hue and Ngo Duc Ke streets in District 1./.