Opinions & Interviews

Belarusian books stand out in ex-USSR

MINSK, 5 December (BelTA) – Belarusian books vividly stand out from the crowd in the post-Soviet space. The fact is confirmed by multiple awards at prestigious international contests. The statement was made by First Deputy Information Minister of Belarus Ms Lilia Ananich before the start of the Christmas Ball in the Moscow House in Minsk on 5 December, BelTA has learned.

Lilia Ananich remarked that Belarusian book publishers worked hard in the year 2012, which had been declared the Year of Books. “More than 10,000 book titles are available for perusal of readers, with the total number of copies close to 35 million,” said the official.

In her words, the Christmas Ball is designed to once again attract the attention of the general public to books and reading. It should also remind people that the Christmas book sale is about to begin. During the sale meetings with authors and publishers will be arranged as well as contests and other events. “Books and the spirit of Belarus are inseparable. We have a strong hope that books will find their place in the age of new information technologies,” stressed Lilia Ananich.

An auction was held as part of the Christmas Ball, with the best editions from Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine on sale. The book The Radziwills. An Album of Portraits of the 18-19th Centuries was one of the most expensive lots, with the asking price of Br2 million. The money raised through this auction will be spent on gifts for children.

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