The 16th Nantong Reading Festival began on April 23 in Nantong, East China’s Jiangsu province on April 23, the day now celebrated as World Book Day.

The festival will run until October and includes more than 200 activities such as lectures, exhibitions, quizzes, reading competitions, and book donations.

Lu Tianming, a Nantong native and renowned writer, was appointed as a celebrity endorser of this year’s event during the launch ceremony, which was held at Phenix Square.

Government departments should work to promote reading among locals and turn the festival into a unique Nantong attraction, said Lu Weidong, director of the city’s publicity department.

Lu Weidong (L), director of the publicity department of Nantong, presents a letter of appointment to Lu Tianming (M), a Nantong native and renowned writer, at the launch ceremony for the city’s 16th reading festival on April 23. [Photo/ntjoy.com]

Ten government departments are awarded at the launch ceremony for their outstanding performance in promoting reading, April 23. [Photo/ntjoy.com]

Lu Weidong (M) addresses a work meeting for the festival after the launch ceremony, April 23. [Photo/ntjoy.com]