Over 12 days, the festival brings together writers, translators, critics, publishers and readers in conversations, readings, workshops and performances, exploring the theme “From self to us: Loneliness and solidarity in European literature.”

Launched in 2011, the European Literature Days have become a familiar cultural bridge between Vietnam and Europe.

Loneliness today is no longer simply an individual experience. It has emerged as one of the defining conditions of the 21st century, shaped by the pervasive reach of technology into every dimension of human life, by generational and cultural divides, and by the gradual erosion of shared reference points that once bound communities together.

Yet solidarity - the impulse to reach toward others - still persists, even if in a more fragile state.

The 2026 edition raises a series of questions: What forms does loneliness take, and how does it speak? How does the human body respond as it moves between isolation and connection? What role can literature play in a world that often feels increasingly fragmented?

These questions will be explored through the works and perspectives of five invited European authors, in dialogue with Vietnamese writers, scholars and readers.

Among them are playwright and novelist Sasha Marianna Salzmann and novelist Miku Sophie Kuhmel from Germany, whose works engage deeply with questions of identity, history and intimacy.

From the United Kingdom, Rebecca Watson examines inner worlds and emotional fractures through formally innovative prose.

Austrian writer Peter Simon Altmann reflects on loneliness and displacement through narratives shaped by years of movement between Europe and East Asia. Meanwhile, French writer and traveler Thibault Clemenceau offers perspectives rooted in mobility, encounters and vibrant cross-continental connections.

The festival offers Vietnamese audiences the opportunity to engage directly with some of the most compelling contemporary voices in European literature, alongside local writers and intellectuals.

Taking place across Hanoi, Hue and Ho Chi Minh City, the 2026 program unfolds through a series of panel discussions, workshops, book displays and interactive formats, examining loneliness and solidarity from multiple literary and cultural angles.

Four major panel discussions will address themes such as silence and suppression, the body in urban space, identity and incompleteness, and writing as an act of healing. These conversations bring together European and Vietnamese authors, critics and scholars, complemented by creative writing and playwriting workshops.

Several sessions, led by Sasha Marianna Salzmann and Miku Sophie Kuhmel, offer closer engagement with young writers and students.

This year’s edition also experiments with new forms of interaction and spatial engagement, including a nighttime literary walk in Hanoi, inviting audiences to experience texts through different urban settings.

These formats aim to extend literary experiences beyond conventional venues, connecting literature more intimately with the rhythms and spaces of the city.

In addition, the festival introduces two special book exhibitions in collaboration with the Frankfurt Book Fair, the world’s largest book fair by number of participating publishers, marking an important milestone in the festival’s international partnerships.

 
Huyen My