HÀ NỘI — Twelve writers from six nations in the Mekong River Delta received Mekong River Literature Awards in a ceremony held in Hà Nội yesterday.

The event gathered 30 writers from six countries in the region including Việt Nam, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar and China.

The winning works included short stories collections, novels and poetry collections reflecting friendships between peoples in the region.

Two Vietnamese authors won awards, namely writer Lê Văn Vọng with the short story collection Nhịp Cầu (Bridge) and writer Nguyễn Ngọc Mộc for the novel Người Về Từ Sông Nậm Nơn (Returning from Nâm Nơn River).

“Following the initiation of Vietnamese Writers’ Association, leaders of writers’ associations of Việt Nam, Laos and Cambodia met on October 6, 2006 in Hồ Chí Minh City,” said Hữu Thỉnh, chairman of Việt Nam Literature and Arts Association, “The participants at the meeting decided to establish the Mekong River Literature Award to honour writers from the countries. The member countries then have taken turns to host the awards ceremony”

The first ceremony was held in October 2007 in Hà Nội, where 15 writers from three nations were awarded.

“Over the past ten years, from three founding members, the event has gathered six countries in the Mekong Delta region,” he said, “More than 100 works have been honoured over the past nine awarding ceremonies among more and more competing works every year.”

“This is an abundant vivid material stock on life, desires of residents in Mekong region. The award has helped strengthen the relationship between the neighbouring countries, praise values of cultures and make the cultures closer to one another,” he said. — VNS