Today is the fifth day of the 26th International Book Fair in Havana and literary activities of all kinds, and for all audiences, are taking place at the event’s main venue, the San Carlos de la Cabaña Fortress, and other sub-venues in the city’s Vedado neighborhood. The Fair is set to continue through February 19 in the capital and across the country’s provinces through April 16.
The participation of publishing houses from 46 countries sharing their offerings to promote productive cultural exchanges; a vast collection of Cuban editions in the big tent bookstore; and the individual stands of the island’s many publishers color the landscape at the Fortress fairgrounds, where panel discussions and book launches are taking place throughout the day.
Several colloquia addressing the thought and work of Comandante en Jefe Fidel Castro, were held on Friday to honor this great lover of books and promoter of literacy, while the Pavilion of Honor hosted by Canada, special guest country of the year, was the site of launches and discussions by and about authors and literature from this nation.
The National Prizes for Literature and Social Sciences were awarded last week, and those for Book Editing and Design will be presented today, while the 7th Encounter of Young Latin American and Caribbean writers will begin at the Dulce María Loynaz Center, and a meeting of Cuban and U.S. publishers will take place at the Meliá Habana Hotel.
The work of Armando Hart Dávalos, intellectual and political leader, to whom the Fair is dedicated this year, will be discussed throughout the week at the Martí Studies Center and the José Martí Memorial.
(Granma)