The 2nd Asia Pacific Poetry Festival, bringing together over 650writers, poets and translators from 40 countries and territoriesthroughout the world, was launched on March 2 at the Hanoi Opera House.

According to poet Huu Thinh, the festival isintended to promote the unique attributes and values of Vietnameseliterature among international communities, as well as broaden theinternational understanding of the nation’s culture and people.

The event also paves the way for Vietnamese authors to meet withforeign translators, literature researchers and publishers, and promotesthe host’s works internationally.

Furthermore,Vietnamese writers and poets have the opportunity to exchange views withand learn from the experience of overseas experts.

This year’s festival featured poetry readings by local and foreign poets praising the beauty and harmony of nature.

Highlights include the reading of several works of Ho Xuan Huong, arenowned Vietnamese female poet (1772-1822), which were translatedand performed by a female Slovak writer.

Thefestival is part of an event series to promote Vietnamese literatureoverseas taking place in Hanoi and northern Quang Ninh and Bac Ninhprovinces between March 1 and 7. Other major events include the 3rdInternational Conference on Vietnamese literacy promotion and the 3rdVietnamese Poetry Day.

As scheduled, conferenceson Vietnam’s prose works and poems will be organised in Hanoi in linewith an international arts and poetry night in Quang Ninh on March 3.

Meanwhile, the 3 rd Vietnamese Poetry Day willconvene in Hanoi’s Temple of Literature on March 5 with the theme “Turnthe heart to the sea and islands”.-VNA