More than 500 publishers from 82 countries will participate at the 16th International Book Fair in Cuba

More than 500 publishers from 82 countries will participate at the 16th International Book Fair in Cuba (FIL), which will cover 40 cities, and opens at the San Carlos de la Cabana Fort in Havana on February 8.

In the announcement news conference, FIL President Iroel Sanchez explained this fair will have 135 exhibitors, 82 of them foreigners, a never before registered figure, attesting perhaps that word has spread of Cubans love for books.

In addition to foreign published works, more than 8.5 million books will be at people s disposal in over 9,000 feet of space, over 3,000 feet larger than last year.

This time the fair is dedicated to Argentina and to Cuban writers Cesar Lopez and Eduardo Torres Cuevas.

Among foreign publishers participating are Ocean Press from Australia, Oceano from Spain, Editions B, Urano and Plaza and Valdes from Mexico, and The Caribbean Book from Great Britain.

Literature celebrities such as literature Nobel prizewinner Wole Soyinka, Mexican Elena Poniatowska, Italian philosopher Gianni Vattimo and Pakistani Tariq Ali will add luster to FIL.

Argentina, as guest of honor, will be represented by 150 artists and intellectuals, among them caricaturist Joaquin Lavado (Quino), and writers Miguel Bonasso, Vicente Battista, Luisa Valenzuela and Silvia Iparraguirre.

FIL will conclude in the capital February 18, when it will extend around the isle to Santiago de Cuba city, where will be concluded March 11.

Source: CubaSi