A series of cultural and art programmes will be organised at the HCM City Book Street in District 1 to celebrate the street’s 5th birthday on January 9, and promote the reading habit among the community. Photo courtesy of HCM City Book Street

HCM CITY  A series of cultural and art programmes will be organised at the HCM City Book Street to celebrate the street’s 5th anniversary today, and promote the reading culture among the community.

A number of book exhibitions and readings will open at the venue from January 9 to 18. Rare books and bestsellers by Vietnamese and foreign writers will be displayed. 

Many children's books and comics, released by the country’s leading publishers such as Kim Đồng, Phương Nam and Nhã Nam, will be discounted.

Book readings will feature veteran and young writers who will talk about their writing.

Visitors and readers are encouraged to send photos and writing about their feelings and views about the street, to the event’s organiser, the HCM City Book Street Company. 

The organiser invited singers and music bands to join the event’s opening ceremony yesterday. 

More than 3.5 million books on different topics, including 57,000 new titles, have been sold, and 11.5 million people have visited the HCM City Book Street. Photo courtesy of HCM City Book Street

 “HCM City Book Street has become a cultural destination for tourists after five years of running,” said Lê Hoàng, director of the HCM City Book Street Company, who is also deputy chairman of the Việt Nam Publishing House Association. 

“City authorities spent a year preparing for book street, including collecting opinions from people, publishers, educators and cultural experts, finding a venue, and calling for support from publishers, distributors and businesses.”

“We’re working to improve the street's decoration and services,” he said. 

Opened in 2016, the book street features dozens of book stalls of more than 25 publishers. It has earned VNĐ181 billion (US$7.8 million) in turnover. More than 3.5 million books on different topics, including 57,000 new titles, have been sold, and 11.5 million people have visited the street. 

Several hundred book-signing events and cultural exchange programmes and exhibitions, attracting leading domestic and foreign publishers, distributors and agencies, have been organised on the street. 

According to Nguyễn Minh Nhựt, director of the Trẻ (Youth) Publishing House, his company earned a revenue of VNĐ11 billion ($484,800) after two years participating in the book street through selling books and organising book-signing meetings with best-selling authors.

“Promoting reading culture is necessary. Book streets should be developed as tourist sites to serve both residents and visitors,” he said.  

In July, the HCM City Book Fair for Children with the theme “Open up the Book – Build the Dream” on the street attracted nearly 6,000 people.  

 The six-day event offered more than 10,000 copies of books by local and foreign authors, mostly literature and comics, from 20 local publishers and distributors. 

It included an exhibition of 40 paintings of Vietnamese children's thoughts about life during the Covid-19 pandemic. Book readings and reviews, and a kids’ corner, were also included.

"I often visit HCM City 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 Nguyễn Thảo Nhi, a 10th-grade student from Phú Nhuận District. 

Cultural and art programmes celebrating the book street’s fifth anniversary will take place at the HCM City Book Street on Nguyễn Văn Bình Street in District 1. VNS