Information about Hanoi Book Festival –2014
60th anniversary of Hanoi’s liberation (10/10/1954 – 10/10/2014)
(At Thang Long Imperial Citadel, from 26/9/2014 to 02/10/2014)
The year 2014 is specially meaning to the people nationwide in general and Hanoi capital in particular: 84th anniversary of establishment of Communist Party of Vietnam, 60th anniversary of Dien Bien Phu victory, 70th anniversary of establishment of Vietnam People’s Army, 60th anniversary of Hanoi’s liberation and 15th anniversary of Hanoi’s recognition as “City for peace” by UNESCO. Hanoi Book Festival 2014 is one of important cultural events to be held by the city on occasion of political-historical-cultural events.
Hanoi Book Festival 2014 was launched by Hanoi Department of Information and Communications with the participation of: Department of Propaganda and Training under Municipal Committee of Party, Thang Long-Ha Noi Heritage Conservation Center, Department of Publishing, Printing and Releasing (Ministry of Information and Communications), Vietnam Association of Publishers,…some publishing houses, book companies in the city.
The Book Festival entitled: “60th anniversary of Hanoi’s liberation (10/10/1954 – 10/10/2014)” is organized at Thang Long Imperial Citadel (No. 19C Hoang Dieu, Ba Dinh, Hanoi) from 26/09/2014 to 02/10/2014 (to be opened from 8h to 21h daily). The Opening ceremony will be live broadcast on Hanoi Radio and Television from 20h00 to 20h30 on 26/9/2014.
Hanoi Book Festival 2014 will be first time organized at Thang Long Imperial Citadel. The combination of the Book Festival – a festival of reading culture and a space of the world cultural heritage in the Capital is a cultural event of special significance. The Book Festival will not only contribute its part in promoting cultural reading, aiming to build a society of learning, creating a beautiful trait in the Capital’s social life, contributing to build up Hanoian people elegant and civilized, this is also a chance for us to look back our thousand years’s Thang Long – Hanoi cultural tradition, making contribution in thoroughly and extensively propagandizing, featuring the very important historical meaning of the Date of Hanoi’s liberation, meaning and pride with the title “City for peace” as presented by UNESCO to Hanoi.
With the hope that Book Festival will be held solemnly, meaningfully with high level of culture and education, making strong impression, the Organizing Board has paid due attention in both appearance and content, quality of the Festival. From the entrance gate (No. 19C Hoang Dieu) to the central stage (Doan Mon, Imperial Citadel), book stands and other stands …are designed aesthetically and technically, embodying cultural space of Hanoi.
Beside the central stage, the Book Festival is highlighted by the symbol of Khue Van Cac (Constellation of Literature pavilion) designed by books at the central axis of Thang Long Imperial Citadel, next is the book stands with following 07 subjects:
- Subject “Old Thang Long – Present Hanoi”: Displaying, introducing books, publications about cultural tradition, history of Thang Long – Hanoi, establishment and development process of the Capital with the focus as Bookcase “Thang Long – thousand years of civilization”, documentary simulation about Thang Long – Hanoi recorded by French Overseas Center and East India Company – Netherlands, at the same time introducing the photo-book “Hanoi – Heroic Capital, City for peace”, provided by Hanoi Publishing House Co., Ltd.
- Subject “Book’s journey”: Displaying, introducing the books published since the end of 19th century to 1970s of 20th century; including books published during nine-year resistance war against French colonialists and the first days of Hanoi liberation jointly provided by National Library of Vietnam and Center for East – West Cultures and Languages.
- Subject “President Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi Capital ”: Displaying, introducing books, photos, documents about President Ho Chi Minh; books about “Learning and following President Ho Chi Minh’s moral sample” jointly provided by National Politics-Truth Publishing House and Culture-Information Publishing House.
- Subject “General Vo Nguyen Giap and Heroic Vietnam People’s Army”: Displaying books and documents about the General Vo Nguyen Giap and historical tradition of Vietnam People’s Army joints provided by Military Library and People’s Army Publishing House.
- Subject “Hanoi with country’s seas and islands”: Displaying books, photos, maps, documents which proved the sovereignty of Vietnam’s seas and islands; books, photos, documents about the activities carried out by Hanoi people for Truong Sa archipelago, provided by National Politics-Truth Publishing House and Information – Propaganda Publishing House.
- Subject “Discovering the world”: Displaying, introducing the books for children provided by Kim Dong Publishing House.
- Subject “Selected books”: Displaying, introducing the books awarded every year by Vietnam Association of Publishers.
Beside the display of books, the Festival will be the place of convergence, introduction and sale of books, publications through 112 book stands of 45 publishing houses, book companies nationwide with more than 10,000 book entitles, ten thousands of books of diversified categories: books for children; literature books, cultural-social books; economic books, scientific-technical books; foreign language books; e-books and digital books…especially in order to extend thanks to the readers who have accompanied with the publishing industry over the years, during the Book Festival, the publishing houses or companies will offer discount or sale, promotion by deducting % of publishing fees. However, Organizing Board required the maximum discount not to exceed 50% of selling price of such book before the promotion period (according to Commercial Law and its guiding documents).
Hanoi Book Festival will also be the place for the strategic partners to sign contracts, hold discussion, exchange between the readers and authors, cultural researchers, researchers…with a view to inspire passion for reading among the readers especially young readers. On the basis of the programs registered by the publishing houses or companies, for having an overall program of the Book Festival, Organizing Board agreed to organize 17 workshops, talk, exchange meetings at the Festival or appropriate venues. Some of them are: Talks “Discussion about the set of books “History of Thang Long – Hanoi” held by Professor Phan Huy Le – Chief Editor of the books, published by Hanoi Publishing House Co., Ltd, Talks “Hanoi – endless inspiration source of culture and poetry” held by Center for East – West Cultures and Languages; “Young Hanoians and reading culture” held by Thai Ha Books JSC; “Talks about sovereignty of Vietnam’s seas and islands” held by Information and Propaganda Publishing House; Signing ceremony of strategic partners between Publishing House (Korea) and Alpha Books Joint Stock Company…
With a view to creating a space of culture attractive, impressive and diversified for all readers, the Book Festival also organized other activities such as: calligraphy, wood-engraving seal, decorating with bookmarks, arranging book cafe, playing ground for children …
The special characteristics of this program, Organizing Board in combination with Hanoi Youth Union, Hanoi Department of Education -Training called for the publishing houses and companies taken part in the Festival and the readers to give, present books for the libraries, schools and cultural post-office in the mountainous communes, very poor communes in the city, soldiers and people in Truong Sa Island District. Organizing Board made space arrangements, personnel to receipt books during the Book Festival. The donated books will be announced in public and presented at the Closing ceremony.
Organizing Board hope that, Hanoi Book Festival 2014 “60th anniversary of Capital’s liberation (10/10/1954 – 10/10/2014)” organized for the first time will be a special space of culture, attractive and widely spreading out as the premise for other book festivals to be held annually, aiming to display, introduce books, publications of the publishing houses, books companies, publishing affiliates in Hanoi and other central and local agencies nationwide. The Book Festival is a really important festival for the book lovers, a chance to honor reading culture and it will be an environment facilitating all publishing houses, printers, publishers and the companies in field of culture, propaganda to prove themselves and promote their brand, exchange, meet and sign contracts, meet the diversified and increasing needs of the readers of all classes.
Hanoi Department of Information and Propaganda
