International Book Fair Closes in Havana

The 28th International Book Fair is closing Sunday its program in Havana, and will then open sessions in the rest of the provinces of the island.

Representatives and publishing delegations from 44 nations from the five continents took part in February 7 through 17 in Cuba's largest cultural event that gathers the highest number of people.

The Guest Country this year was Algeria that attended the Fair with a delegation made up of 30 artists, panelists, editors and writers that showed not only the literary creation of that northern African country, but also their music, photography and cinema.

It also contributed 200 books about several themes as heritage, history, children's literature and novels, with the aim of bringing the Cuban readers and from other participating nations to the Algerian culture, traditions and identity.

Algeria's Culture Minister Azzedine Mihouni presented in Havana his novel 'Atocha's Oath', with a message against terrorism and any form of extremism, in favor of peace and understanding among nations.

The Fair paid tribute to the work of Cuban writer Eduardo Heras Leon, National Literature Prize Winner 2014 and of Editing (2001). It also celebrated the 500th anniversary of the foundation of Havana.

The event's program also included artistic and literary activities among them tributes, conferences, lectures, presentations, film and plastic arts exhibits, concerts and a meeting of Latin American young writers.

As the Fair now moves all across the island, the event as whole will wind up on April 14 in the eastern city of Santiago de Cuba.