A book fair at the Institute of Technology of Cambodia on March 9. Somnae FB
Minister of Education, Youth and Sport Hang Chuon Naron stated that the National Reading Day celebration and an extensive book exhibition are part of a campaign designed to promote reading and strengthen connections between readers and authors through inspiring activities and public engagement.
The minister made the remarks on March 9 while presiding over the opening ceremony of the book fair at the Institute of Technology of Cambodia (ITC), held to celebrate the 9th observance of the holiday from March 9-11.
He emphasised that the literary expo is more than an event; it is a campaign to inspire public involvement in a joyous and intimate atmosphere.
He said it was especially designed to create a nurturing space for readers and authors to share experiences, thereby cultivating the habits of reading and writing for a brighter societal future.
“The event is organised annually to promote a culture of reading and writing more widely and deeply among people of all ages and walks of life throughout Cambodia,” Chuon Naron said.
The minister reminisced about the first observance of the day in 2016, when it did not yet have a competition but involved reading texts and poetry and storytelling as symbolic activities.
He said that from 2017 onwards, the event expanded to include contests at the capital and provincial levels, along with many other programmes.
The line-up for the event includes speeches by leaders, discussion forums by key speakers, book exhibitions, reading competitions, essays, poems, student compositions for the Samdech Techo Hun Sen Award and interpretation competitions on literary topics for education officials and the public.
Hok Sothik, director of the NGO Sipar, noted that the organisation has consistently participated in the event, setting up three book booths this year.
He highlighted that both the day and the fair serve as reminders to the public of the benefits of reading.
However, Sothik believes that merely organising a book fair is insufficient to cultivate a reading culture in Cambodia. He stressed the importance of the public, especially parents, in encouraging reading habits for their children.
“We support the efforts of the relevant ministries in promoting reading, as we have witnessed growth in readers and publishers. These events are highly effective. But we also want parents to play a key role in promoting reading to their children, making it a natural part of our culture,” he said.
He also urged publishers and authors to provide quality and useful books for readers, steering clear of plagiarism.
This year’s event is a collaborative effort between the education ministry and the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts and the Ministry of Information, along with other relevant institutions.
