READING CULTURE- Thủ Đức City Book Street is a cultural destination for local people and children, promoting reading culture among the youth. Photo courtesy of Thủ Đức City Book Street.

THỦ ĐỨC CITY — A book festival at the Thủ Đức Book Street, marking the street’s first anniversary, opened last weekend to promote the reading habit among the community.

A number of book signing events and readings are being organised at the venue in Hồ Thị Tư Street of Hiệp Phú Commune.

Rare books and bestsellers by Vietnamese and foreign writers are displayed. Many children's books and comics, released by the country’s leading publishers such as Kim Đồng, Phương Nam and Nhã Nam, are offered with 20-40 percent discounts.

Traditional games, painting competitions, and book readings are featured.

“Thủ Đức City Book Street has become a cultural destination for local people and children after one year of operations,” said Dr. Thái Thu Hoài of the HCM City University of Culture’s Publishing Faculty. “The street’s managing board should work more to improve the street's decoration and services.”

BOOKLOVERS - The Thủ Đức City Book Street features dozens of book stalls of leading Vietnamese publishers. More than 270,000 books on different topics have been sold, and several thousand people have visited the street. Photo courtesy of HCM City Book Street.

Thủ Đức City Book Street features dozens of book stalls of Vietnamese publishers. It has earned VNĐ15 billion (US$588,824) in turnover. More than 270,000 books on different topics have been sold, and several thousand people have visited the street.

More than 500 book-signing events and cultural exchange programmes and exhibitions have been organised on the street.

According to Lê Hoàng, director of HCM City Book Street and also a manager of Thủ Đức City Book Street, promoting reading culture is necessary. “Thủ Đức City Book Street should be developed as a tourist site to serve both residents and visitors,” he said.

"I often visit Thủ Đức Book Street on the weekends. I love reading at stalls on the street instead of staying home because it brings me closer to nature and people," said Trần Thị Anh Thư, a resident of the Vinhomes Grand Park in District 9.

The book street’s first anniversary will close on January 5.— OVN