Cuba to Host 27th International Book Fair Next February

The book event will be dedicated to China and to Havana City Historian, Dr. Eusebio Leal Spengler

A bicycle piled high with books features on the poster for the 27th International Book Fair Cuba 2018, taking place in Havana February 1-11 and then across the country before ending May 13, in Santiago de Cuba.

The image is a reference to the People’s Republic of China, guest country of honor in the upcoming edition of the most popular cultural event on the island.

The poster also features a message announcing that the 27th edition of the Fair will be dedicated to intellectual, National Prize for Social Sciences winner and Havana City Historian, Dr. Eusebio Leal Spengler.

Details of the event were presented during a press conference in the Pabellón Cuba venue’s Mayo Hall by Juan Rodríguez Cabrera, president of the Cuban Book Institute (ICL); Sonia Almaguer, director of the National Book Chamber; Edel Morales, director of the fair’s literary program; Yao Fei, political advisor and chargé d’affaires at the Chinese Embassy; and Mario Cremata, director of Boloña Publications.

Thus far, some 133 expositors from 31 countries have confirmed that they will be participating in the Fair, where they will be presenting alongside almost all of the island’s publishing houses. Meanwhile, over 100 authors have assured that they will also be attending the event in Havana, a figure which is expected to rise.

In addition to the Fair’s main site at the San Carlos de la Cabaña Fortress, the 2018 edition will see activities taking place across a total 22 spaces, both traditional and new, including the Fayad Jamís, Ateneo Cervantes and Alma Mater book stores, the Casa de Asia, and Chinatown.

Boloña Publications meanwhile will be responsible for printing various works by Leal, a renowned essayist and public speaker.

With the aim of strengthening cultural exchanges and cooperation between Cuba and China, an artistic delegation and the country’s most important publishing houses are set to participate in the Fair, according to Yao Fei. We hope that this edition of the Fair is one of the most outstanding and magnificent yet, he stated.