Havana Book Fair Thriving
Havana´s 15th International Book Fair kicked off here Saturday at the Morro-Cabaña Complex, attended by 112 writers and 500 publishers from 30 countries.

The Fair, this time dedicated to Venezuela as guest of honor, was inaugurated Friday by Presidents Hugo Chavez, Venezuela, and Fidel Castro, Cuba.

Thousands of books will be waiting for the public until January 12, when the fair will close with the launching of a volume of sonnets by Spanish singer songwriter Joaquin Sabina, who will be in Havana.

The event, with another 18 venues in the capital, has an extensive program that includes roundtable talks, panels and conferences, meetings of academics, editors, translators, an artistic program for children and concerts.

As many as five million readers attended the fair in 2005, and the figure is expected to increase this time.