The biggest event hosted by the Vietnam Writers Association will take place on the full moon of the first lunar month of the Year of the Horse (March 3rd) in the mining region of Quang Ninh. In the capital, Hanoi Poetry Day 2026, themed "Reaching Out to the Great Sea," is being held today (March 1st, or the 13th day of the first lunar month) at the Temple of Literature - National University, both conveying the message that poetry accompanies the nation in its journey towards greater heights.
The "sails" of poetry are filled with wind.
The 2026 Vietnam Poetry Day will be organized as a series of activities nationwide with the overarching theme "Before the Great Sea." Poet Nguyen Quang Thieu, President of the Vietnam Writers Association, stated that this year's Vietnam Poetry Day takes place in the context of the country having just successfully held the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, marking a significant turning point for the nation and opening a new phase of development with a long-term strategic vision and a strong aspiration for national progress. The theme "Before the Great Sea" carries contemporary significance and symbolic depth, evoking associations with Vietnam's position, resilience, and aspiration for integration in the face of global opportunities and challenges.
Inspired by the same theme, today (March 1st), Hanoi Poetry Day, organized by the Hanoi Union of Literature and Arts and the Hanoi Writers Association, with the approval and guidance of the Hanoi City Party Committee and People's Committee, is taking place at the Temple of Literature - National University (Hanoi) with the theme "Reaching Out to the Great Sea". According to poet Tran Gia Thai, Chairman of the Hanoi Writers Association, in the aspiration to reach out to the great sea of the times, Hanoi - the thousand-year-old capital, the heart of the country, the political , economic, cultural and creative center - is undergoing a powerful transformation, always leading the way.
Hanoi Poetry Day 2026 consists of three parts: "Lantern Festival Poetry," "Love for the Sea and Islands," and "Spring Feelings in Hanoi," bringing audiences to impressive poetic works by poets such as Nguyen Quang Thieu, Le Canh Nhac, Nguyen Viet Chien, Tran Anh Thai, Phung Van Khai, Tran Gia Thai, Bui Viet My, Mai Nam Thang, Chu Thu Phuong, etc., through various formats. Within the framework of Hanoi Poetry Day, there will also be poetry performance competitions and exhibitions of poetry clubs from the capital city.
This year, the Vietnam Writers Association is bringing Vietnam Poetry Day to the mining region of Quang Ninh. The event space will feature an exhibition of 50 selected poems about the sea, ranging from ancient and medieval to modern times, displayed on "poetry sails." The Lantern Festival poetry night, "Before the Great Sea," will bring together poems about the sea by many generations of renowned poets such as Nguyen Khoa Diem, Huu Thinh, Tran Nhuan Minh, Tran Dang Khoa, Thuan Huu, Nguyen Thi Hong Ngat, Dang Huy Giang, Pham Duong… along with young poets making their mark in the literary world such as Trang Thanh, Lu Mai, Nguyen Thi Kim Nhung... In addition, groups of poets will conduct field trips, exchanges, and poetry readings at mines, schools, factories, and military units throughout Quang Ninh province...
Aspiration, challenges, and responsibilities
The 24th National Poetry Day and Hanoi Poetry Day 2026 are occasions to meet and bring together generations of contemporary poets in Vietnam, to inspire aspirations and a sense of responsibility to contribute in the new context of the nation. Poet Nguyen Quang Thieu, President of the Vietnam Writers Association, believes that the term "great ocean" in this year's theme of Vietnam Poetry Day also symbolizes the aspiration for integration, globalization, scientific and technological development, and profound changes in culture, ideology, and lifestyle. Facing this "great ocean," the "national ship" needs courage, wisdom, and cultural depth to avoid being swept away, but to move forward steadily. Poetry, as a special form of aesthetic consciousness, plays an irreplaceable role in enriching spiritual life, preserving cultural roots, and nurturing the aspirations and character of the Vietnamese people. In this context, poets in particular and artists in general feel even more responsible for accompanying the "ship" of the nation.
According to poet Nguyen Quang Thieu, social media and artificial intelligence are developing rapidly. Poetry is facing many opportunities but also numerous challenges in creation and dissemination. Vietnamese Poetry Day is an occasion for poets and researchers to exchange ideas, debate, and seek answers to the question: How can writers maintain their integrity and character, protect and create authentic poetic values, thereby building the dignity of the poet in the new era?
As the capital of the country, People's Artist Tran Quoc Chiem, Vice President of the Vietnam Union of Literature and Arts Associations, and President of the Hanoi Union of Literature and Arts Associations, believes that Hanoi Poetry Day 2026 is a practical activity to implement Resolution No. 80-NQ/TƯ of the Politburo dated January 7, 2026, on "Developing Vietnamese Culture" and Directive No. 30-CT/TU dated February 19, 2024, of the Standing Committee of the Hanoi City Party Committee on "Strengthening the leadership of Party committees in building elegant and civilized Hanoi people." Through this, poets and artists in the capital city will increasingly recognize their great responsibility in their creative work to promote the building of elegant and civilized Hanoi people; placing the people of Hanoi at the center of the capital's development strategy...
Meaningful and widespread events celebrating poetry will contribute to encouraging and inspiring artists to unleash their creativity, bringing literature and art closer to the public, and accompanying the capital and the country on its journey to reach out to the wider world.
Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/tho-ca-viet-nam-cung-dat-nuoc-vuon-ra-bien-lon-735512.html
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