KOLKATA: Spain is not only a favourite at FIFA World Cup 2022 but also at the 46th International Kolkata Book Fair, which will inaugurated on January 30 by Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
On Wednesday, Publishers and Booksellers Guild in presence of Sudhangshu Sekhar Dey, president, Guild and Tridib Kumar Chatterjee, Honorary General Secretary, Guild announced at a city hotel that Spain would be the focal theme country at the Book Fair, which will continue till February 12.
This will be the second time after 2006 that Spain has been selected as the theme country at International Kolkata Book Fair. "We fondly remember that in 2006 at the Spanish Pavilion of the Kolkata Book Fair, the Embassy of Spain in India signed a MOU with Calcutta University, after which the Government of Spain started providing a lecturer for the Spanish Language Department," said Chatterjee. HE Mr José María Ridao Domínguez, Ambassador of Spain in India was also present.
The international complex at the book fair will also have the presence of UK, USA, Japan, Vietnam, France, Thailand, Australia, Argentina, Guatemala, Mexico, Cuba, Peru, other Latin American countries and Bangladesh.
Dey thanked Bengal Chief Minister for providing Kolkata Book Fair its permanent address at Salt Lake Central Park, which she named last year as 'Boimela Prangan'. Noted artist Suvaprasanna, has designed the logo of 'Boimela Prangan'.
Another important highlight of the Kolkata Book Fair is the 9th Kolkata Literature Festival (KLF), which will be held from February 9.
Also, like last year the exclusive digital partner of the Book Fair is Sister Nivedita University (SNU).