Writer Huu Thinh (right) gives the award to a female writer at the ceremony held in Hanoi on June 15 (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) - Twelve writers from six nations in the MekongRiver Delta received Mekong River Literature Awards in a ceremony held in Hanoion June 15.
The event gathered 30 writers fromsix countries in the region which are Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos,Myanmar and China.
The winning works included shortstories collections, novels and poetry collections reflecting friendshipsbetween peoples in the region.
Two Vietnamese authors won awards,namely writer Le Van Vong with the short story collection Nhip Cau (Bridge) and writer Nguyen Ngoc Moc for the novel Nguoi Ve Tu Song Nam Non (Returningfrom Nam Non River).
Following the initiation ofVietnamese Writers’ Association, leaders of writers’ associations of Vietnam,Laos and Cambodia met on October 6, 2006 in Ho Chi Minh City. The participantsat the meeting decided to establish the Mekong River Literature Award to honourwriters from the countries. The member countries then have taken turns to hostthe awards ceremony.
The first ceremony was held inOctober 2007 in Hanoi, where 15 writers from three nations were awarded.
“Over thepast ten years, from three founding members, the event has gathered sixcountries in the Mekong Delta region,” said Huu Thinh, Chairman of Vietnam Literatureand Arts Association. According to him, more than 100 works have been honouredover the past nine awarding ceremonies among more and more competing worksevery year.
“The award has helped strengthen therelationship between the neighbouring countries, praise values of cultures andmake the cultures closer to one another,” he said.-VNA
