MINSK, February 11 (BelTA) - The 16th Books of Belarus 2009 International Exhibition-Fair is opening in Minsk on February 11. The event will take place in the BelExpo national exhibition centre on February 11-15, BelTA learnt from Elena Shitik, adviser of the publishing and book trade department of the Belarusian Information Ministry. The Republic of Kazakhstan will become a guest of honour of the event. Kazakhstan is the fourth country, following Russia, Ukraine and Israel, which has received such a high status at the Belarusian book exhibition. The official opening of the Kazakhstan Exposition will take place right after the Exhibition-Fair opening ceremony which is to begin at 12 a.m. on February 11. The main exhibitor is preparing a number of events, including a meeting with authors, presentation of books, published under the Cultural Heritage programme – “The Anthology of Kazakh Literature” and “The History of Kazakh Literature” series as well as the editions “Peoples’ Friendship”, “Amanat”, “The Seventh Word”. Kazakhstan will also present the public association of Kazakhstan book illustrators. Kazakhstan books will be handed over to the Information Ministry of Belarus, Kazakhstan embassy and Cultural Centre of Kazakhstan in Belarus. Throughout the fair, the Kazakhstan stand will host working meetings of the Kazakhstan delegation members with editors, printers, booksellers of foreign countries. The organizers of the exhibition-fair - the Information Ministry of Belarus, the Belarusian association of book publishers and book distributors, “Belkniga”, and “Makbel” – expect the 16th Minsk Book Exhibition-Fair to become once again a bright event as well as gather a great number of participants from different countries. Partaking in the 1st Minsk Book Exhibition-Fair held in 1994 were 315 companies from eight CIS and Baltic countries. Twenty countries took part in the 15th Minsk Book Exhibition-Fair. Collective expositions of Belarus, Russia and Ukraine have become regular. Twenty-five countries will participate in the 16th Minsk Book Exhibition-Fair. Apart from Belarus and Kazakhstan, other participants are Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Armenia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, France, Sweden, Germany, Israel, India, China, Cuba, the USA, Venezuela, and, for the first time, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Bulgaria, Belgium, Hungary, Iran, Korea. The exhibition helps expand cultural and information boundaries of the forum, demonstrate the variety of books that are close to and understandable for people of different nationalities and beliefs. The organizers of the exhibition have prepared an interesting and entertaining programme that includes over 120 events, traditional Library Day and Day of Knowledge, book presentations, meetings with authors and publishers, roundtables.

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