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Another Year of Books
Hundreds of titles published, millions of copies sold, fairs and book and literature festivals, important international prizes for Cuban writers: year 2007 has finished in Cuba with a positive outcome regarding literature.

After travelling 43 Cuban cities and being visited by more than 5 400 000 people who acquired 5 216 957 copies, it finished in Santiago de Cuba the 16th International Book Fair, the most important appointment of its kind in the country, qualified by the Minister of Culture, Abel Prieto, as "really an extraordinary event."

In the entire country were sold 2 112 540 copies more than in 2006, collecting 24 491 726 Cuban pesos, an unprecedented figure in previous fairs, still when this time the average price of books dropped to 4.92 cents.

The literary party that had Argentina as the guest country and was dedicated to the important Cuban intellectuals Cesar Lopez and Eduardo Torres-Cuevas; had 769 guest foreigners from 31 countries, the largest foreign attendance registered in events of this type.

Besides the Book Fair, other literary appointments became popular events: The Night of Books, a cultural project held in the central 23 Street. Havana gathered thousands of people in the presentation of more than 60 books of universal and Cuban literature; other artistic manifestations were represented in this activity.

During the holidays period, thousands of people participated in a similar literary event: Summer Readings that having as headquarters the Prado Avenue of the capital, spread to the rest of the country.

The University Festival of Book and Reading (FULL), a new project, also passed through all the municipalities of the country, sponsored by FEU, UJC and the Cuban Institute of Book. It was a unique festival that enabled university students to find texts in demand and promoted the participation in literary cafes, jam sessions of trova, and presentations of amateur artists in the more than 200 university headquarters throughout the country.

Havana also welcomed its 12th International Poetry Festival dedicated to Africa and the Caribbean Islands.


(Cubasi)



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