We have launched ATM BOOKS. From books passed from hand to hand, we have nurtured a dream, indeed an aspiration, to build a nation of enthusiastic readers, lifelong learners and people rich in wisdom.

We have established ATM COMMUNITY BOOKSHELVES, where books are given with love and knowledge is shared without expecting anything in return.

We have organised READING TOURS, bringing books closer to communities so that they do not simply sit on shelves but truly become part of everyday life.

We have created HAPPY LIBRARIES, where every book is a seed of understanding, love and happiness. Places where children’s minds and hearts are nurtured, adults broaden their knowledge, and people connect through the pages of books.

We have VIETNAM BOOK AND READING CULTURE DAY, celebrated annually on 21 April, when the whole of society comes together to honour books, those who create them, those who read them, and the positive values they bring.

We have the NATIONAL BOOK AWARDS, recognising outstanding works, encouraging writers, translators, editors and publishers, and helping valuable books reach more readers.

We have launched READING BOOKS TOGETHER, ensuring that reading is no longer a solitary journey. We read together, learn together, reflect together and grow together.

AND NOW, THE TIME HAS COME FOR A GREATER VISION: READING NATION – A NATION OF READERS!

A nation of readers is not simply a country with numerous libraries. Nor is it merely a country that publishes a great many books or attracts large crowds to book fairs. Above all, it must be a nation where reading becomes a natural need, a daily habit and an integral part of every citizen’s way of life.

I dream of a Vietnam where every family has a bookshelf. Every school has a vibrant library. Every business has a reading space. Every village has a place where people can access knowledge. Every child grows up listening to stories and reading books from their earliest years. Every adult regards lifelong learning as both a joy and a personal responsibility.

I dream of families where parents spend less time scrolling through their phones and more time reading with their children. Where EVERY HOME HAS A BOOKSHELF BIGGER THAN ITS REFRIGERATOR.

I dream of classrooms where students do not simply study to pass examinations, but read to understand, think independently, create and become kind, decent human beings.

I dream of businesses where leaders read, employees read, and the entire organisation learns and grows together.

I dream of communities where people meet not only for tea or coffee, but also to discuss a good book, an inspiring idea or a valuable lesson for life.

READING NATION is not merely a programme to encourage reading. It must become a national aspiration.

For if we want a knowledge-based economy, we need knowledgeable citizens. If we want a creative society, we need people who are willing to learn, ask questions and think independently. If we want a sustainably developed country, we need a strong cultural foundation. And if we want a strong and prosperous nation, we must cultivate a people who love reading, embrace learning and know how to apply knowledge in everyday life.

I believe that the initiatives we have undertaken, and continue to pursue, are not isolated activities. They are the first building blocks of a much greater journey.

ATM BOOKS plants the seeds of generosity and sharing.

ATM COMMUNITY BOOKSHELVES expands access to knowledge.

READING TOURS promotes and introduces books to wider audiences.

HAPPY LIBRARIES nurtures a love of reading.

VIETNAM BOOK AND READING CULTURE DAY inspires society-wide interest in books.

THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARDS honours outstanding intellectual and literary achievements.

READING BOOKS TOGETHER connects people who love books.

And READING NATION will bring all these efforts together into a shared aspiration for the Vietnamese people.

To turn this aspiration into reality, we need the collective participation of the Government, publishers, businesses, schools, libraries, social organisations, families and every citizen. We need clear objectives, long-term action programmes, and creative, practical approaches whose effectiveness can be measured.

Above all, we must move from reading campaigns to reading habits; from individual reading-promotion events to a sustainable ecosystem of reading culture.

I hope that one day, in the not-too-distant future, when people around the world think of Vietnam, they will see not only a heroic nation, a beautiful country and a dynamic economy, but also a nation of readers, a people who cherish knowledge and a society committed to lifelong learning.

We have already come a long way. We have developed models and initiatives. We have dedicated individuals and communities who love books. What we must do now is connect these efforts, spread their influence, raise our ambitions and take action together.

THE TIME HAS COME FOR READING NATION VIETNAM!

Do not wait for someone else to begin. Do not wait for perfect conditions. If not now, when? If we do not begin, who will?

Let us start with ourselves, our families, our workplaces, our schools and our communities. Every citizen a reader. Every family a reading space. Every organisation a learning community. All of Vietnam a NATION OF READERS! I firmly believe that if we share the same aspiration and act with perseverance, READING NATION will become more than an inspiring slogan. It will become a living reality in Vietnam.

One book can change a person. A community of readers can transform a generation. A nation of readers can change the future of an entire people.

READING NATION – FOR A WISE, COMPASSIONATE, STRONG AND PROSPEROUS VIETNAM.

Dr Nguyen Manh Hung