Hanoi (VNA) - The Hanoi Book Fair 2026, themed "Books Unlock Knowledge – Technology Leads the Future,” opened on the evening of October 2.
The annual fair is held in the Hoan Kiem Lake pedestrian zone opposite Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square along the street up to the Hang Trong – Le Thai To intersection until October 4. It is a cultural event to celebrate the 72nd anniversary of Hanoi's Liberation Day on October 10 and the 74th anniversary of the Traditional Day of Vietnam's Publishing, Printing, and Book Distribution Sector, also on October 10.
The fair is to promote the historical, cultural and revolutionary traditions of the city and the nation, while fostering pride in Thang Long-Hanoi, a city of heroic spirit and a thousand years of civilisation.
It also aims to encourage and promote reading habits within the community, contributing to the development of a learning society and cultivating educated Hanoians. At the same time, it seeks to integrate reading culture with science, technology, innovation and digital transformation, while contributing to the development of the capital's cultural industries.
This year's event features the participation of 31 reputable domestic publishers and distributors, offering a diverse range of titles to meet the learning, research and entertainment needs of a wide audience, alongside special promotional offers.
There are two spaces for specialised books.
In the “Thang Long-Hanoi Cultural Heritage” space, visitors can explore publications from the Thang Long: A Thousand Years of Culture and Temple of Literature: Imperial Academy digital book collections, discover materials about the Imperial Academy, Vietnam’s first national institution of higher learning, and experience calligraphy and rubbings of patterns from doctoral steles.
In the “Books Unlock Knowledge – Technology Leads the Future” space, the organisers introduce e-reading platforms for tablets, smartphones and laptops. Readers have the opportunity to explore the Science, Technology, Innovation and Digital Transformation Collection featuring publications on AI, big data, cybersecurity, Industry 4.0 and emerging technological fields.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Vice Chairwoman of the municipal People's Committee Vu Thu Ha emphasised that the Hanoi Book Fair is not only a place where readers can discover good books, but also a space that inspires a spirit of learning; a place where the values of the past are connected with the knowledge of the present and the technologies of the future, helping develop human resources, cultural strength and a knowledge foundation for sustainable development.
It also serves as a bridge between book publishers and the public, spreading a love of books and the cultural values of the capital, she added.
Hanoi regards publishing and reading culture as areas that make a positive contribution to the development of its cultural industries, she said, adding the city has directed the implementation of activities and campaigns to promote reading, honour books, and increasingly integrate books and reading culture into everyday social life.
As part of the fair, there are cultural exchange events, panel discussions and new publication launches focusing on the history, culture, lifestyle and people of Hanoi.
Participating stalls are offering a variety of promotions and gifts for readers. These range from attractively priced titles and discounts on book sets to small gifts such as bookmarks, stickers, pens, cards, standees or complimentary books, depending on the individual stall and purchase value./.
VNA
