Vietnam Poetry Day is held annually, rotating between localities and with a different theme each year. This year’s theme combines poetry and the sea.
President of the Vietnam Writers’ Association, poet Nguyen Quang Thieu, said, “Quang Ninh celebrated Poetry Day for years before Vietnam Poetry Day. Its tradition is what inspired the Vietnam Writers’ Association to hold the first national Poetry Day 24 years ago. Quang Ninh is the convergence of all the reasons, conditions, and inspiration for us to organize the 2026 Vietnam Poetry Day here.”
At this year’s poetry night, the audience will hear poets and authors read their works and talk about the circumstances of the composition. There will be performances of several songs adapted from poems.
 Poet Nguyen Binh Phuong, Vice President of the Vietnam Writers’ Association (Photo: Thuy Tien/ VOV1) |
Poet Nguyen Binh Phuong, Vice President of the Vietnam Writers’ Association, will chair a seminar called “The Dignity of Poetry.” “We raise the issue of dignity – how it can be built, preserved, and protected amid the challenges posed by today’s rapid development, technological advances, and artificial intelligence. At the seminar, we’ll discuss whether AI should be allowed to participate in poetic creation. We’ll also explore how poetry benefits humanity, inspiring love for the homeland and a sense of devotion that motivates people to protect the values they hold dear,” said Mr. Phuong.
At Poetry Night, people will hear sea-themed works by noted poets, prominent voices shaping contemporary Vietnamese poetry, such as Nguyen Khoa Diem, Huu Thinh, Tran Nhuan Minh, Tran Dang Khoa, Thuan Huu, and Nguyen Thi Hong Ngat.
 Ninh Binh province's Association of Literature and Arts holds the Vietnam Poetry Day 2026. (Photo: Duc Phuong/ VNA) |
Poetry Day will feature poet Bruce Weigl, one of two US veterans who were personally awarded the Friendship Order by Party General Secretary To Lam in 2024 for their contributions to promoting Vietnamese literature worldwide and friendship between Vietnam and the United States.
The Organizing Committee will send groups of poets to coal mines, universities, factories, and military units in Quang Ninh province to talk to the public about poetry and give poetry readings.
50 verses about the sea will be on display at Vietnam Poetry Day. To promote this year’s theme, the Writers’ Association Publishing House is releasing a poetry collection titled “Before the Vast Sea”.