International book fair opens in Belgrade

BELGRADE - The international book fair opened in Belgrade on Sunday evening, with the People's Republic of China as this year's guest of honor.

At 6 p.m., poet, academician Milosav Tesic and writer Liu Zhenyun on behalf of China declared open the 59th book fair held under the slogan "It's Time for a Book".

For the first time in the history of the fair, the guest of honor will not have a stand in the central hall, but rather China will have at its disposal 1,000 square meters in Hall II where the opening ceremony was held.

The guest of honor also has its delegation that comprises 200 members, including 12 renowned writers, 100 representatives of 60 publishing companies.

Under the slogan "Book deepens friendship, cooperation builds future", China will organize a number of book promotions, panels, exhibitions and discussions at the fair and across Belgrade in an effort to bring China closer to Serbian book lovers and encourage cultural cooperation between the two peoples.

There will be 72 exhibitors from abroad at this year's book fair, in comparison to 48 last year.

Book buffs will have an opportunity to browse the offer of 476 direct publishers (490 last year) that will take up 30,512 square meters (27,000 last year).

Panel discussions, promotion events and topical exhibitions will focus on the three anniversaries of importance for the Serbian culture and history: 200 years since the release of the first works by the greatest Serbian linguist Vuk Stefanovic Karadzic, 150 years since the birth of comedy writer Branislav Nusic and 100 years since the start of World War I.

The organizers of the fair will also hold panel discussions paying tribute to the authors who left their mark...