Forty-six out of 52 publishing houses nationwide participated in the 8th National Book Awards, submitting 397 book titles and book series (512 volumes). This reflects strong interest and enthusiastic participation from publishing units, as the number of entries has continued to increase compared to the previous season (25 more titles and series, and 57 more books than in the 7th National Book Awards).
Based on the National Book Awards Council's voting results, the Department of Publishing, Printing and Distribution, together with the Vietnam Publishing Association, compiled and submitted the final list to the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism for approval. A total of 50 books and book series will be honored, including: 2 A Prizes, 17 B Prizes, 23 C Prizes, 5 Encouragement Prizes, 5 Reader’s Choice Awards. Notably, two titles each received two awards.
After seven editions, the National Book Awards have become a prestigious cultural event, helping to discover and honor works of outstanding ideological, academic, scientific, and artistic value. The awards also play an important role in guiding readers, promoting reading culture, and encouraging the healthy development of Vietnam’s publishing industry.
The 7th National Book Awards Ceremony - 2024 (Photo: Phi Long).
To further improve the awards' quality and elevate them to their proper status as a national-level prize, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has continued to revise and refine the award regulations. Key changes include: adjusting the award structure from five to four categories; improving judging criteria to emphasize quality and influence; expanding nomination sources and increasing social participation; applying media data analysis to the evaluation process. These updates aim to strengthen the awards’ credibility, bring them closer to readers, and increase their public impact.
The 7th National Book Awards Ceremony - 2024 (Photo: Phi Long).
The 8th National Book Awards Ceremony will be held at Studio S1 of Vietnam Television at 8:00 PM on March 8, 2026, and is expected to be broadcast live on VTV2. Within the program, the organizing committee will collaborate with publishing houses to present exhibitions featuring valuable book collections published in recent years, as well as award-winning titles from previous seasons. These activities seek to spread the value of books further and foster a meaningful connections among authors, publishers, and readers.
