Hanoi opens book street for first time

The first book street in Hanoi was opened in the city’s downtown area on Monday, aimed at promoting a reading culture among citizens in Vietnam’s capital.

Book lovers came in droves to the December 19 Street in Hoan Kiem District to attend the book street’s opening ceremony.

The 200-meter street, which connects the major streets of Hai Ba Trung and Ly Thuong Kiet in downtown Hanoi, was previously home to the so-called ‘underworld market,’ as there is a mass grave of victims killed during wartime at the location.

The book street is co-organized by Hanoi’s Department of Information and Communications and the administration of Hoan Kiem District.

The venue, similar to the one in Ho Chi Minh City, will house book stalls and cafés where readers can enjoy their newly-bought books over a cup of coffee while engaging in discussions with other bookworms.

Open to the public from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm every day, the book street will also hold book release events and other activities to promote the reading culture.

At either end of the street are public stations for online information lookup, as well as public toilets to provide the most comfortable book-shopping experience for visitors.

Certain spaces on the street are dedicated to the elderly and children, and free Wi-Fi will be available over the entire length of the street.

In his remarks at the opening ceremony on Monday, Ngo Van Quy, deputy chairman of Hanoi, said he expected the book street to become a new cultural rendezvous for citizens in the capital as well as for local authors and those working in the publishing industry.

Visitors at Hanoi’s first book street on December 19 Street in Hoan Kiem District, May 1, 2017. 

Visitors at Hanoi’s first book street on December 19 Street in Hoan Kiem District, May 1, 2017. 

Visitors at Hanoi’s first book street on December 19 Street in Hoan Kiem District, May 1, 2017.