Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 10 February (BelTA) – The International Minsk Book Fair promotes peace and strengthens international cooperation, Belarusian Information Minister Lilia Ananich said at the opening of the 23rd International Minsk Book Fair on 10 February, BelTA has learned.

“The main thing is that the expo promotes peace and strengthens international cooperation,” Lilia Ananich believes.

In her words, books are not just a source of knowledge. They greatly facilitate humanitarian cooperation. “The best achievements of the international publishing industry are on display in Minsk. Our expo is attended by many writers who participate in seminars held as part of the international symposium. They talk about the continuity in literature and the great creative power of a writer’s word and books as containers of this word,” Lilia Ananich said.

Deputy Head of the Belarus President Administration Igor Buzovsky read out the message of greeting from the head of state to the participants in the 23rd International Minsk Book Fair and the international literature symposium Writer and Time.

A red ribbon was cut to mark the opening of the international forum.

Partaking in the forum are guests from 29 countries, including Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, the United Kingdom, Venezuela, Germany, Israel, Iran, Italy, Kazakhstan, China, South Korea, Cuba, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Palestine, Poland, Russia, Syria, the United States, Tajikistan, Turkey, Ukraine, Finland, France, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Sweden, and Ecuador. Armenia is the Guest of Honor this year.

The winners of the 55th nationwide contest The Art of Book will be honored with awards during the forum. The main prize of the contest in the category Triumph will be given to the book about Vladimir Mulyavin published to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the birth of this eminent personality.

The International Book Fair will be running through 14 February. The forum has been organized by the Belarusian Information Ministry and the Minsk City Hall.