HÀ NỘI — German and Vietnamese authors are gathering in Việt Nam for a cultural exchange including talk shows, excavations and reading sections.

The programme ‘Literature Tandem’ is being held from November 3-13 in Hà Nội and HCM City.

The events feature German writers such as Fabian Hischmann, Anja Kampmann, Julia Franck, Judith Zander and Fatma Aydemir; and Vietnamese writers such as Trương Quý and Trang Hạ.

The Vietnamese writers, with different perspectives on literature and society, share a passion for experiments in writing.

Participants will share their stories, make a zine at a local printer, speak at readings and panel discussions with audiences and meet with students in universities.

The event will create lasting memories, according to Ngọc Nick M, co-ordinator of the project.

“It’s a chance for writers of the two countries to enhance mutual understanding as well as learn more about the reading culture of each country,” he said.

“People may think that to understand literature, we have to know its language. But through the programme, we desire to change the perspective of language.”

“Like music, literature can be understood and experienced with heart and feeling.”

The programme is organised by the Hà Nội Goethe Institute and the Literary Colloquium Berlin (LCB).

During Literature Tandem, the German authors will demonstrate the many forms of contemporary literature (poetry and novels) alongside journalistic and theoretical texts, according to Hischmann.

“The essays based on our invitation, provide insights into the work of very different authors who reflect on their own biographical, linguistic and literary influences and the daily struggle of searching for their personal language,” he said.

At the end of the programme, the authors will pair up to hand write and draw in a collective publication. — VNS