Twenty countries, in addition to Belarus, have announced their intent to participate in the Books of Belarus 2009 International Book Exhibition-Fair. The event is due on February 11-15, in the BelExpo national exhibition center, BelTA learnt from Elena Shitik, adviser of the publishing and book trade department of the Belarusian Information Ministry. The applications for participations have been filed by Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Armenia, Poland, Slovakia, Germany, France, Sweden, China, Israel, India, Cuba, Venezuela, the USA and, for the first time, Hungary, Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, Iran. Twenty countries participated in the 15th Minsk Book Exhibition-Fair in February 2008. This year the status of the Honored Guest of the Belarusian book forum is given to the Republic of Kazakhstan. The official opening of the Kazakhstan Exposition will take place immediately after the Exhibition-Fair opening ceremony which is to begin at 12 a.m. The main exhibitor is preparing a number of events for fair visitors, including a meeting with Rollan Sejsenbaev, member of the Kazakhstan Writers Guild, international and Kazakh prizewinner. Kazakhstan will present the books published under the Cultural Heritage programme – series ‘The Anthology of Kazakh Music’ and ‘The History of Kazakh Literature and also the editions included in such series as ‘Peoples’ Friendship’, ‘Amanat’, ‘The Seventh Word”. Kazakhstan will also present the public association of Kazakhstan book illustrators. The guests are going to give the Kazakh books to the Information Ministry of Belarus, the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Republic of Belarus, the Kazakhstan Cultural Centre 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 Russian exposition will traditionally invite visitors for various arrangements: from seminars to presentations and surprise meetings that will become known a bit later. Numerous events will be held at the stands organised by the embassies. For example, the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany will hold consultations organized by the German Research Institute, the German Academic Exchange Service, the Central Agency for Schools Abroad, the Goethe Institute in Minsk, the Robert Bosch Fund. The international roundtable “In the Brotherly Commonwealth: CIS Relations Viewed through Translation” will be held on February 12. It is organized by the Literature and Art Publishing House. The writers of Tajikistan and Kazakhstan have agreed to participate in it. According to the organizers, the space of the fair including exposition and trade parts will come up to more than 5,000 square metres.

БЕЛТА