The delegation led by the deputy director of the HCMC Department of Information and Communications Nguyen Ngoc Hoi met Ms. Daniela Marmocchi from the International Unit of Bologna Children's Book Fair and Mr. Franco Venturi, Vice President of the Italy-Vietnam Fund.
Speaking at the event, Ms. Daniela Marmocchi said that the Bologna Bookfair is the largest children's book fair in the world, celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2023. Exhibits at the event include children’s books and related products such as films adapted from books, movie and book illustrations. The book show also aims to honor publishers, authors, and illustrators of children's publications. In 2024, the fair attracted over 31,000 visitors, featuring nearly 400 events held by 1,500 participants from 94 countries and territories.
The highlighting areas of the fair include Comics Corner, TV/Film Rights Center, and Bologna Grand Tour. The organization board will participate in book events around the world, such as Toulouse in France, Frankfurt in Germany, and Shanghai in China to strengthen the Bologna Children's Book Fair’s connection with the global publishing community, Ms. Daniela Marmocchi added.
Representatives from the HCMC delegation stated that the southern economic hub of Vietnam has organized around 350 book events and fairs, especially the HCMC Children’s Book Fair which was held five times, over the past 25 years.
Deputy director of the HCMC Department of Information and Communications Nguyen Ngoc Hoi expressed his sincere thanks to the organization board of the Bologna Children's Book Fair for their introduction of activities and experience in organizing the book show that has attracted more and more international visitors.
He hoped to see the presence of the Bologna Children's Book Fair at a book event in HCMC in the coming time.
Mr. Franco Venturi, Vice President of the Italy-Vietnam Fund also hoped that HCMC would participate in the Bologna Children's Book Fair in the coming time. The Italian Trade Agency previously supported Vietnam’s publishing houses to participate in the World Lounge area at the fair. Vietnamese publishers, including Tre (Youth) and Kim Dong Publishing Houses, participated in the 2024 Bologna Children's Book Fair.
On this occasion, the HCMC delegation visited the Salaborsa Library. Salaborsa is the main public library in Bologna, region of Emilia-Romagna, Italy. Salaborsa is a multimedia library that opened in 2001 and is located inside Palazzo d'Accursio, a historic building overlooking the beautiful Piazza Maggiore.
The delegation learned about the activities and models of reading rooms in the library to promote reading culture. Library facilities include interactive reading rooms for teenagers, audio and video recording rooms, reading area for mothers and children, especially a corner of Vietnamese books serving the Vietnamese community and those learning the Vietnamese language.
Deputy Director of the HCMC Department of Information and Communications Nguyen Ngoc Hoi informed activities promoting reading culture in HCMC, especially book events held in the HCMC Books Street and the General Sciences Library of the city. The city plans to build a children's library covering an area of 4,000 square meters placed in the HCMC General Sciences Library to celebrate the 50th anniversary of southern liberation and national reunification (April 30, 1975-2025).
