Press releases

MINSK, 8 February (BelTA) – Guests from 29 countries will take part in the 23^rd Minsk International Book Fair, Belarus’ Information Minister Lilia Ananich told a press conference on 8 February, BelTA has learned.

The number of participants has increased, the minister said. Among them is Azerbaijan, Russia, Ukraine, the UK, Venezuela, Italy, Palestine, Turkey, Finland, France, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, the United States, Ecuador and others.

Armenia will be the Guest of Honor this year. Earlier, among the Guests of Honor of the Minsk International Book Fair were Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Kazakhstan, France, Germany, Venezuela, China.

The 23^rd Minsk International Book Fair will be held on 10-14 February. Publishers from different countries will present new book projects. The program of the exhibition will feature meetings with famous Belarusian and foreign writers and a great variety of book products on offer. Among the key themes of the exhibition are the Year of Culture and the preparations to mark the 500^th anniversary of the Belarusian book printing. The exhibition will also cover the issues related to the celebrations of the 25^th anniversary of the CIS, the 30^th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident, the 70^th anniversary of the United Nations, the 400^th anniversary since the death of William Shakespeare, and the anniversaries of Maxim Bogdanovich, Ivan Shamyakin, Kondrat Krapiva, Ivan Melezh, Vladimir Mulyavin.

The 2^nd International Literary Symposium entitled Writer and Time: Succession in Literature will be held as part of the book fair. Partaking in the event will be well-known writers from the CIS and non-CIS countries. a seminar of young writers will also make part of the program. The winners of the 55^th nationwide contest The Art of Book will be presented with awards.

The forum is organized by the Information Ministry and the Minsk City Executive Committee. The exhibition will be held at the BelEXPO center in 14 Pobeditelei Avenue.