MINSK, 4 March (BelTA) - About 20 countries will be featured at the 31st edition of the Minsk International Book Fair, and the Islamic Republic of Iran will be the central exhibitor, Dmitry Makarov, Chairman of the CIS Council of Organizers of Book Exhibitions and Fairs, Executive Director of the Minsk International Book Fair, told journalists in Minsk on 4 March, BelTA has learned.
About 20 countries will participate in the International Quarter program. "Iran will have the central stand. We have already received books for the exhibition. Some of them came from Moscow in Russian. So, there will be a lot of books in Russian about Iran, and also books by Iranian authors about the economy and culture. It will be very interesting for visitors. A large number of books came from Iran. These are mainly albums about the art, architecture and history of Iran," the executive director said.
He also noted that Russia will be represented by new publishing houses this year. "Basically, these are Moscow publishing houses. They may be small and do not define the face of Russian book publishing. Yet these new publishing houses (twenty of them in total) will create a new surge and a new interest in books," Dmitry Makarov said. He also noted that Russia will run the collective exposition which will occupy occupy 150 square meters of exhibition space.
According to the executive director, China has also expanded its exhibition space. "In previous years the Chinese stand was about 20 meters big. This year it will be 50 square meters. They have already received books, more than 2,200 books in Chinese and Russian," he said.
Dmitry Makarov also stressed that all detailed information on publishing houses and the poster of the book fair can be downloaded on the official website of the Minsk International Book Fair.
