"Books are the second teachers."

Within the framework of the activities celebrating the 2nd Vietnam National Book and Reading Culture Day in 2023, Tay Do University organized a seminar under the theme "Reading Culture among the Youth Today." The two speakers were researcher and author Nham Hung, and Mr. Thai Ngoc Anh, Chairman of the Folk Literature and Arts Association of Can Tho City, who shared fascinating stories.

Society is exploding with information, and the youth are increasingly reading fewer books while allocating more time to television, phones, and social media. Researcher Nham Hung explains that alongside the dominance of various forms of online entertainment, one must consider the rapidly paced social life and the mounting pressures of daily life. Many young people are neglecting reading due to these factors. Numerous individuals complete their university programs and start working without devoting sufficient time to searching for and supplementing their knowledge through the pages of books. "This isn't incorrect, but it's insufficient for balance. If individuals know how to manage their time, dedicating a few tens of minutes each day to read a few pages of a book isn't difficult," Mr. Hung stated.

With over half a century of experience in various fields, ranging from journalism, and traditional music authorship, to being the chief director of festivals and cultural research, Mr. Nham Hung believes that books have taught him a great deal. Learning from books, he refined his professional skills, enabling him to excel in his work and lead a fulfilling professional life. The author of numerous research books about the region and people of the Mekong Delta also shares that writing books is a means to convey the fascinating things he has read and learned to readers, especially the youth. Many young individuals can't explain why places like Can Tho, Cai Rang, Ninh Kieu, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau... have their names. Thus, Mr. Nham Hung's writing provides clear explanations. He emphasizes: "From ancient times, our ancestors have taught us: 'Talk with books, advice with proof' Reading books helps young people gain more confidence and competence in life, acquire more knowledge, and live more upright and virtuous lives."

Mr. Thai Ngoc Anh, on the other hand, shares that books are the second teachers, following the primary instructors in the classroom. Books teach readers numerous skills, knowledge... Reading books is not about quantity but about consistency. Each day, reading a few pages, then reflecting, summarizing, and gradually increasing, will eventually develop the habit of reading. Particularly, the youth nowadays are not limited to reading traditional printed books; they can also access electronic books and digital libraries, which are highly convenient.

The sharing of these two speakers has received much agreement from the students. Student Dang Duy Lu, a third-year student at Tay Do University, states: "Indeed, I haven't dedicated much time to reading books lately. The insights from the two speakers are very practical, and I will make an effort to read more." Student Tran Ngoc Han, a first-year student, shares that the speakers have instilled a love for reading books within her.

Bringing books to the students.

The highlight of this year's series of activities celebrating Book and Reading Culture Day in Can Tho City is the initiative to bring books to university students. Phuong Nam Bookstore Can Tho organizes book exhibitions and introductions at universities including Nam Can Tho University, Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Tay Do University... Ms. Pham Thi Minh Trang, Director of Phuong Nam Retail Limited Company - Can Tho branch, stated: Continuing the series of activities by Phuong Nam to bring books into schools, and libraries, the company collaborated with universities in Can Tho City to bring books to students, along with various discount policies and incentives. "Through these meaningful activities, Phuong Nam hopes to inspire students to love and read books, contributing to spreading the reading culture among the youth," said Ms. Minh Trang.

The book exhibition area and book service at Nam Can Tho University took place at the university library. Many students visited and made purchases during the event days. Student Vo Thi Thao Tran, a second-year student majoring in Medical Laboratory Science, shared: "I found many interesting books that are relevant to my field of study." In the Medical Department of Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy, there was also a book exhibition space organized by Phuong Nam Can Tho bookstore, introducing numerous books related to medicine, pharmacy, health sciences... Many students were deeply engrossed in flipping through the pages of the books. Student Nguyen Lan Anh, a first-year student, expressed: "I really like this book space because I have a lot of choices and the discounts are suitable for students' budgets."

Sustaining for several years, this year Can Tho University organized a fairly large-scale book fair at the Learning Resource Center. FAHASA Bookstore Can Tho, Ho Chi Minh City General Publishing House, Can Tho University Publishing House, and Cultural Development & Import-Export Joint Stock Company (CIDIMEX) brought nearly 1,500 titles with around 4,000 copies to the book fair.

In recent times, Can Tho City has implemented numerous measures to spread and promote the development of a reading culture among the youth. A prime example is the Can Tho City Library and the public library system of the city, engaging in various activities: mobile libraries visiting schools, providing accounts for teachers and students of schools to use electronic libraries, collaborating with relevant units and departments to organize awareness campaigns, book introductions, and book rotations to school libraries. Particularly noteworthy is the successful launch of the "Cultural Reading Ambassador" competition within schools during the past period. In many seasons, students from the city consistently achieved high rankings in the national finals of this competition.

It can be said that reading culture among the youth today is facing multiple opportunities as well as risks. With the efforts of the Cultural Department of Can Tho City, there is hope that the flow of reading culture will continue to spread among the younger generation.

Since 2014, the Prime Minister signed a decision to designate April 21st of every year as Vietnam Book Day. To encourage and develop the reading movement within the community, and to raise awareness about reading culture, on November 4th, 2021, the Prime Minister issued a decision to designate April 21st of every year as both Vietnam Book and Reading Culture Day. Thus, April 21st serves not only as an occasion to spread reading culture but also to honor readers, writers, publishing, printing, distribution units, librarians, curators, collectors, and book promoters.