YANGON, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- A Children's Literature Festival was inaugurated in Myitkyina, Myanmar's Kachin state on Sunday, aimed at nurturing children and instilling in them the love of reading, the official Global New Light of Myanmar reported on Sunday.

The three-day children's literature festival, organized by the Ministry of Information, the Ministry of Education and the Kachin state government, and held at the Myitkyina University, will last until next Tuesday.

Activities such as story-telling competition, poem reciting competition, painting competition, literature talks, debate, sports activities and entertainment programs are included.

Book stalls for book lovers are also opened at the festival.

Myanmar had launched children's literature festivals in several other cities such as Nay Pyi Taw, Mandalay, Mawlamyine, Taunggyi, Monywa, Pathein and Yangon during last year.

To encourage the development of literature, Myanmar government has also been annually presenting National Literature Awards to outstanding writers since 2001.

Children and youth literature were among the selected genres awarded which also include long and short stories, poems, belles-letters, culture and arts, translation, political literature, English-language books.