At the ribbon-cutting ceremony (Photo: SGGP)

Attending the opening ceremony were Secretary of the HCMC Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen; Chairman of the HCMC People’s Committee Phan Van Mai; Vice Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Nguyen Van Hieu; Chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front in HCMC Tran Kim Yen, former Chairwoman of the HCMC People’s Council Nguyen Phuong Thao; Head of the Propaganda and Education Board of the City Party Committee Phan Nguyen Nhu Khue; Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Council Nguyen Van Dung; Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of the city Duong Anh Duc and Chairman of the HCMC Journalists’ Association Nguyen Tan Phong.

Leaders of HCMC attend the opening ceremony of the 2023 Book Street Festival. (Photo: SGGP)

Book Street Festival 2023 is firstly held on Le Loi Street, which has become clear and spacious after construction barriers for the underground metro station project were removed. Therefore, the exhibition areas in the festival will be more diversified.

The book street is divided into four main areas, including Ho Chi Minh cultural space presenting exhibitions of historical and cultural events, publications marking the Lunar New Year from press agencies, displays marking the 135th birthday of former President Ton Duc Thang, 50th anniversary of Paris Peace Accords, 325th founding anniversary of the old Saigon-Cho Lon-Gia Dinh area and HCMC.

Chairman of the HCMC People’s Committee Phan Van Mai (C) visits a display booth in Book Street Festival. (Photo: SGGP)

There are also areas of the space of Vietnamese art books featuring limited edition books; online and audiobooks; and Tet holiday in the old days.

The event attracts 20 leading publishing houses in the country featuring 38 display booths providing around 50,000 titles and 100,000 copies and also includes a children's zone and nearly 60 sideline activities that will be held during the festival.

The 2023 Book Street Festival will run until January 26.

Secretary of the HCMC Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen and city's leaders attend the event. (Photo: SGGP)