Havana, January 31 (RHC-Granma International)-- Cuba's International Book Fair, soon to celebrate its 24th edition, has become one of the island’s most important events, in addition to the Festival of New Latin American Cinema. The Book Fair practically opens the year (February 12-22) while cinema closes it (always in December) with both events attracting thousands of people.

The Book Fair has as its main headquarters the San Carlos de la Cabaña Fort in Havana, but will extend across all the country’s provinces, until its conclusion on April 26 in Santiago de Cuba. It is not an exaggeration therefore to say that it brings together thousands of Cubans, all avid readers.

This year the Fair is dedicated to Dr. Olga Portuondo, National Social Sciences and Humanities Prize winner 2010, and Leonardo Acosta, National Prize for Literature winner 2006, who also received the National Music Prize in 2014. India is the guest Country of Honor.

During a press conference held at the José Martí Cultural Society, in the Havana neighborhood of Vedado, Zuleica Romay, President of the Cuban Book Institute (ICL); Eduardo Fernández, director of the Fair; Juan Rodríguez, editorial vice president; and Edel Morales, vice president of International Relations, provided a few details of what can be expected from the upcoming events.

The honorable Chinthapally Rajasekhar, Indian ambassador to Cuba, participated in the conference and announced that the majority of titles which will be available at the Fair are from contemporary Indian authors.

“It is a great opportunity to introduce past and contemporary Indian literature to the Cuban public, as well as other manifestations of our culture, such as music, dance, yoga and crafts, which will also be present during the event, ” the official said.