The 13th annual Vietnamese Poetry Day entitled “Towards the Nation’s Seas and Islands” attracted the participation of more than 150 poets from over 40 countries and territories all over the world.
According to Nguyen HuuThinh, Chairman of the Vietnam Writers’ Association, the 2015 Vietnamese Poetry Day aimed to promote the values and quintessence of Vietnam’s literature in the context when foreign literature has become more available in the country. Furthermore, it provided a chance to introduce poetry lovers to the love of Vietnamese people for the nation’s seas and islands.
During the event, international poets presented their literary compositions. For instance, female poet NeevaMukova (Slovakia) read Ho Xuan Huong’s poem in Vietnamese while poets IndraWossou (South Africa) and Graham Mort (England) introduced their latest work about Vietnam. Vietnamese and international authors also attended a poem releasing ceremony where their poems were attached to red balloons and released into the sky.
The event also included many activities, fascinating visitors, such as an exhibition of international literature, Vietnamese literary works translated into foreign languages and published abroad; displaying and introducing domestic publishers’ books; calligraphy and folk art performances.
Story: Ngan Ha
Photos: Khanh Long
Famous verses are hung on Poetry Trees.
“Poet Trees” draw much attention fromthe public.
An area for displaying and introducing books to poetry lovers.
Performing calligraphy on Vietnamese Poetry Day.
Many poetry lovers attend the exchange activities on Vietnamese Poetry Day.
Poet Nguyen Huu Thinh, Chairman of the Vietnam Writers’ Association receives the statue of a poetry goddess from Secretary General of the African- Asian Writers’ Association, Mohamed Salmawy.
International poets and writers participate in the 13th annual Vietnamese Poetry Day.
Balloons with poems of local and international poets are ready to be released into the sky.
Vietnamese Poetry Day is held at Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam (the Temple of Literature - the first National University of Vietnam).
A space to introduce foreign poets on Vietnamese Poetry Day.
Poet Nguyen Viet Chien’s “Fatherland Seen from the Sea” is presented in the shape of S by calligrapher Chu Van Thinh.