On 8th October 2012, in the National Library of Vietnam (NLV), the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) has held a Seminar on “Reading culture and Book Reading Festival Day in Vietnam”. This is one in many activities in celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam Publishing-Printing-Issuing Sector (10/10/1952-10/10/2012).
This seminar focused on the prominent issues such as: the current state and guidelines of reading culture and, the Party’s policies, the State’s legislation policies on reading culture; the trends of developing reading culture in the coming time; the theoretical and practical basis to select “Vietnam Book Reading Day”.
Consequently, in recent decades, the reading culture in our country has attained encouraging and outstanding achievements. It is reflected by how private, family libraries,… constantly develop; the number of published books increases annually, the availability of bookstores, book supermarkets increases, many activities of international book fairs and exhibitions are annually carried out in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh city etc. and it brings to the citizens more various approaches to books, newspapers, and gradually forms the reading habit and reading culture.
The delegates; however, also frankly assesses that the reading culture in our country still encounters many limits such as: it has not formed a development strategy at the national level, there is no organization who is responsible for building and developing reading culture, the skill education is still weak, there is a difference of the level of enjoyment between the urban, rural and remote areas etc.
Also in the seminar, the delegates proposed solutions and recommendations to improve the reading culture quality such as: Have more interesting books; Innovating, promoting the theory-criticism; offer more National Literature Award named after our country’s great writers, and poets; promote the dissemination of books on mass media; fostering young writers; expand and modernize library system, reading room; establish book streets in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city; strengthen the management of newspapers, internet, and video tapes etc.
Mr. Đỗ Quý Doãn, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Information – Communications is presenting in the Seminar
Speaking at the seminar, Minister of the Ministry of Information – Communications, Mr. Đỗ Quý Doãn, emphasized that “Developing the reading culture is always an issue that conveys the national strategy in improving people’s knowledge, contributing to enhance qualifications and skills of the human resource and it plays a key role in determining most of the successes.”
Mr Nguyễn Kiểm – Standing Vice Chairman of Vietnam Publishing Association requested the Government to consider and take the day 21st April annually as “Vietnam Book Reading Festival Day” in order to honor, promote the reading culture in our country, implement the Party’s policies to build a learning society in our country and actively integrating into the world.
Mrs. Phan Thị Kim Dung – Director of the NLV is delivering a speech in the seminar
The whole picture of the seminar
_____________
Text, photos: Hùng Mạnh