Millions of books were on display, hundreds of international delegates were present, and numerous publishing and copyright contracts, as well as cooperation agreements between writers' associations and publishing houses, were signed.
This illustrates how the 34th Book Fair in 2026 had to be postponed due to Cuba's fuel shortages, along with electricity and water shortages; most public transport had to cease operation; offices were only open for half a day; and university students had to temporarily stay home and study online… all due to the energy embargo. This has caused great disappointment among book publishers and book lovers.
Upon arriving in Cuba, the delegation from the Vietnam Publishing, Printing and Distribution Department and the Vietnam Writers Association received official notification from the organizing unit, the Cuban Book Institute, that the book fair had been postponed. Hundreds of books the delegation had brought halfway around the world, along with planned collaborations and agreements, were left unfinished. Among these were special books in Spanish, printed by Vietnamese publishers at the request of the Cuban Embassy in Hanoi , such as: a trilogy of comic books about the life of the late President Fidel Castro (500 copies each, published by Kim Dong Publishing House); and "Two Peoples, One History" (350 copies, published by the National Culture Publishing House), totaling 1,850 copies.
Immediately, the head of the delegation, Dinh Tien Dung, Deputy Director of the Publishing, Printing and Distribution Department, convened an urgent meeting of the delegation and unanimously agreed to do everything possible to bring books to the Cuban people. After hearing the delegation's presentation, the Vietnamese Ambassador to Cuba, Le Quang Long, fully supported the initiative. He said: "These days, we only see foreigners leaving Cuba, but the fact that your Vietnamese delegation is still coming to visit is incredibly valuable. This demonstrates the special relationship between the two brotherly countries, Vietnam and Cuba, which remains loyal, sharing, and deeply connected in any circumstances. And frankly, at this time, your country also greatly needs your sentiments and spiritual gifts!" The Ambassador suggested that the delegation could use the embassy's facade to exhibit and display the books in a dignified and beautiful manner.
With just over a day left, time was of the essence. With the support of Vietnamese students in Havana and embassy staff, books and booth materials brought from home were transported and set up. Members of the delegation climbed and constructed the exhibition space themselves, meticulously working on tying up the backdrop and standees bearing the Book Fair logo and the symbol of Vietnam-Cuba friendship and cooperation.
The first visitors to the Vietnamese Book Booth were staff from the Vietnamese Embassy and students. Holding a wide variety of books brought from Vietnam, ranging from political essays on the great life of President Ho Chi Minh and other revolutionary leaders to literature, children's books, and Vietnamese-Spanish dictionaries, everyone felt as if they were rediscovering precious intellectual nourishment. The children's books were reserved for the children of embassy staff after the exhibition ended. In addition, the "Tet Books," a growing publishing trend in recent years, also attracted particular attention.
At exactly 10:00 AM on February 13th (the 26th day of the 12th lunar month, Year of the Snake), the Cuban Book Institute delegation, including Comrade Juan Rodríguez Cabrera - President of the Cuban Book Institute, Comrade Iyiamí Palomares Mederos - Director of the Cuban Book Chamber of Commerce and General Director of the Havana International Book Fair, and other members, arrived at the Vietnamese Embassy. On the Vietnamese side were Ambassador Lê Quang Long, the Deputy Ambassador, and embassy staff.
After listening to the introduction by the Vietnamese delegation, Comrade Juan Rodríguez Cabrera expressed his deep admiration and emotion at the delegation's determination and affection for the Cuban people in general and those involved in book publishing in particular. He highly appreciated the Vietnamese publishers for printing books to help Cuba in a situation where Cuba lacked paper and printing equipment. He stated that there are currently hundreds of valuable books by Cuban writers and scholars that cannot be printed, therefore, this is extremely practical assistance for the Cuban publishing industry.
Comrade Juan Rodríguez Cabrera praised Vietnam's modern printing techniques, holding for quite a while books about President Ho Chi Minh such as: Following in His Footsteps (bilingual), Uncle Ho's Letters to America… "It is regrettable that this year's book fair did not take place as planned, but it was an opportunity to express the special feelings between Cuban and Vietnamese colleagues that I personally don't know how to express in words," he shared.
After touring the book exhibition area, representatives from the Vietnamese and Cuban publishing industries held discussions. Mr. Dinh Tien Dung, representing the Vietnam Publishing, Printing and Distribution Department, gave an overview of the domestic publishing industry, shared experiences in managing and developing the book market, and proposed several specific and practical areas of cooperation with his Cuban counterparts.
Both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in the fields of publishing, printing, and book distribution, especially publications of cultural, historical, and educational value – areas with rich potential and profound humanistic significance. The memorandum of cooperation between the parties needs to be revised and supplemented to reflect the current situation, promoting the printing and translation of works from both sides, and bringing books to a wider readership as soon as possible.
Concluding the discussion, Ambassador Le Quang Long once again emphasized the special comradely and fraternal relationship between Vietnam and Cuba in the past, present, and future. The Ambassador highly appreciated the cooperation between the two sides in the fields of culture and publishing, and the coordination between the Cuban and Vietnamese Writers' Associations in providing book printing assistance for Cuban writers, organizing creative and academic forums, and facilitating field trips for young writers. The Ambassador affirmed: "The Vietnamese Embassy will always stand alongside and actively support activities connecting Vietnamese publishing agencies, the Vietnam Writers' Association, and Cuban partners in the future."
During their time in Cuba, the Vietnamese delegation met and worked with the Cuban Young Writers Association and Cuban publishing houses such as April Publishing House, Green Olive Publishing House, and Rut Publishing House. They also presented gifts including books, presents, and cash from the delegation and several domestic publishing houses to the Cuban Book Institute, the Cuban Union of Writers and Artists, the Cuban Young Writers Association, and several publishing houses.
Source: https://nhandan.vn/nhung-ngay-sach-khong-the-quen-tren-dat-nuoc-cuba-post944071.html
![[Image] Nearly 125,000 Hanoi students completed the Literature exam for the 10th grade entrance exam.](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/1200x675/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2026/05/30/1780117233041_ndo_br_thiet-ke-chua-co-ten-2-png.webp)
Comment (0)