A coalition of publishing houses has unveiled plans to host a weeklong Book Festival on 19/12 Street in the Hoan Kiem District of the capital city of Hanoi starting on May 1.

The festival will open promptly at 9:30am, said Nguyen Minh Khanh, deputy director of the Hanoi Department of Information and Communication at a press conference announcing the event.

The coalition is headed up by the Kim Dong, Nha Nam and Tien Phong publishing houses, said Khanh. It will lead off with an exchange with festivalgoers and author Duc Pham starting at 10:30am.

Later the same day at beginning at 4:30pm, Nguyen Manh Hung, general director of Thai Ha Books Joint Stock Company will hold a dialogue.

During the event, the coalition will sponsor book discussion groups, literary panel discussions dealing with social and cultural issues, writing workshops and other programs.

VOV