Guatemala will be the theme country of the 43rd International Kolkata Book Fair which is scheduled to be inaugurated on January 30 next year, the organisers said Wednesday.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will inaugurate the fair which will be held at the Central Park in Salt Lake. The UK, USA, Russia, China, Japan, Vietnam apart from 11 Latin American countries and Bangladesh will participate in the fair, they said.
Iran is scheduled to participate for the first time in the book fair, which will conclude on February 10, Publishers and Booksellers Guild general secretary Tridib Chatterjee told reporters at a press conference Wednesday.
In fact, a few publishers from Pakistan are also expected to take part in the fair.
"A few people (publishers) from Pakistan have communicated us and expressed their willingness to participate. If they get visa on time they will also come," Chatterjee said.
Ambassador of Guatemala in India Giovanni Castillo was also present at the media conference and unveiled the logo of the theme country stating "The Heart of the Mayan World - Guatemala" (Corazon del Mundo Maya Guatemala).
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Publishers from Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat will also participate in the fair.
The last edition of the fair recorded around 2.2 million visitors and books worth Rs 22 crore were sold.
Meanwhile, the 6th Kolkata Literature Festival, a highlight of the book fair, will be held from February 7 to 9, he said.
The literature festival will be a collaboration of writers, directors, historians, authors, theatre personalities.