Hanoi Poetry Day kicks off with great fanfare at the Temple of Literature.

Opening the program, following the vibrant atmosphere of drum and dragon dances by artists from the Central Traditional Opera Theatre, was a performance of President Ho Chi Minh 's poem "Nguyen Tieu" (Lantern Festival), full of profound, sacred, and solemn emotion, performed by People's Artist Tran Quoc Chiem.

Opening ceremony of Hanoi's Ancestral Temple at Van Mieu National Temple (Figure 1) — Opening Ceremony of Hanoi Poetry Day at Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giám (Temple of Literature) as part of the 22nd Vietnam Poetry Day activities nationwide - Photo: VC

The performances by the artists, featuring ca trù (traditional Vietnamese singing), poetry recitation, and poetry reading, successfully presented works by poets from various generations, such as: Tay Ho Hoai Co by Nguyen Cong Tru, Mua Xuan by Nguyen Binh, Tien Xuan by Huu Thinh, Hoa Phuong by Bang Viet, Voc Tho by Vu Quan Phuong, Dau Xuan Uong Tra Cung Ban by Tran Dang Khoa, Lam Xanh by Tran Gia Thai, and Dao Son Ca by Le Canh Nhac.

In their creative performance, the poets from Hanoi impressively presented the following poems: "Warm Spring" by Nguyen Viet Chien, "Fairy" by Nguyen Linh Khieu, "You and Me" by Nguyen Thi Mai, and "Street" by Tran Kim Hoa.

Following the main program, Hanoi Poetry Day was vibrant with poetry performance competitions by poets who are members of the Hanoi Writers Association, and poetry booth exhibition competitions by poetry clubs in the capital.

Hanoi Poetry Day 2024 will be broadcast live on Channel 1, Hanoi Radio and Television Station.

According to the plan, the 22nd Vietnam Poetry Day in 2024, themed "The Harmony of the Nation," will take place at Thang Long Imperial Citadel (Hanoi) on February 23rd and 24th, 2024 (corresponding to the 14th and 15th days of the first lunar month of the Year of the Dragon 2024).

From February 23rd, the public can begin visiting the House of Memories, the Poetry Street, participating in the Poetry Quiz game; attending author and work introduction sessions for young poets and established poets; and participating in activities of several poetry clubs in the Poetry Cafes arranged by the organizing committee. The main events of the 22nd Vietnam Poetry Day will take place on the Full Moon of the First Lunar Month (February 24th).

Poet Nguyen Quang Thieu, President of the Vietnam Writers Association , said that this year's 22nd Vietnam Poetry Day is organized to introduce to the public the precious poetic heritage in the treasure trove of poetry of Vietnam's 54 ethnic groups and representative works of ethnic poets or works written about the nature, land, and people of Vietnam's ethnic groups on the beloved S-shaped land.

Quang Thanh

Source