Astérix comic book festival to tour across Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City

The event, to be jointly organised by Kim Dong Publishing House and the French Institute in Vietnam, aims to provide a chance for readers to share their passion, impressions, and memories about the legendary character Astérix and his companion Obélix. In addition, fans can celebrate the 65th anniversary of Astérix the Gaul which is the first volume of the Asterix comic strip series.

Astérix comic book festival will be held at Kim Dong Publishing House’s headquarters at 55 Quang Trung street in Hanoi on July 20 before moving to the Institute of Cultural Exchange with France (IDECAF) at 31 Thai Van Lung street in Ho Chi Minh City on July 27.

Readers will take part in diverse activities, including an exhibition of 21 drawings made up of winners of a drawing competition of Astérix playing sports with Vietnamese youths.

They will join in activities such as playing sports games and quizzes to relive the notable moments of the epic tale of Asterix and his sidekicks, as well as enjoying a screening of the film “Astérix and Cleopatra”.

In particular, participants will be able to meet and listen to the book production team to share their thoughts and to express the value of the "Astérix" book series among many generations of readers.

Astérix the Gaul is the first volume of the Astérix comic strip series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo. In Le Monde's 100 Books of the Century, a 1999 poll conducted by the French retailer Fnac and the Paris newspaper Le Monde, Astérix the Gaul was listed as the 23rd greatest book of the 20th century.