A Book Fair for our people.

More than 100 literary novelties will be presented at the 32nd International Book Fair in Matanzas, from March 7th to 10th, in spite of the current economic limitations, with the unwavering motivation of saving the spirituality of the people of Matanzas and their traditional and historical link with reading.

It was announced at a press conference that the opening gala will be held on Wednesday, March 6th, at 8:30 p.m. at the Sauto Theater, National Monument. The show Concilio de las Aguas, under the direction of Alfredo Zaldívar, will be dedicated to the literature, music and culture of Brazil, guest of honor.

Opening words will be pronounced by the honored writer José Manuel Espino Ortega. Afterwards, at the El Retablo Gallery, the inauguration of the exhibition «A Graphic Gift for the Seasons» will take place.

«It is worth highlighting that the efforts of the Revolution so that our people receive this gift of knowledge will be supported by the response of the authorities of the territory, added to the interest of the workers of the Provincial Center of the Book and Literature and important cultural institutions of the city». This was expressed to the press by the director of the literary center, Efrahím Pérez Izquierdo.

Emphasizing on the general program of the Fair in Matanzas, Perez Izquierdo informed that this time we will not have the presence of Isabel Monal and Francisco Lopez Sacha, the two personalities that the fair honored in Havana, but «there will be more than 15 national and foreign writers, among them Maria Elena Llana, National Prize of Literature and Enrique Perez Diaz, National Prize of Edition.

«We are happy to dedicate our festival to the award-winning writer José Manuel Espino and the group Teatro de las Estaciones, on its 30th anniversary».

Efrahím indicated that the sales area will be concentrated in the Narváez street promenade and in the bookstores set up for that purpose, together with points defined in Vigía editions, the Casa de los Historiadores, the provincial Historical Archive, the Sauto theater, together with the Pharmaceutical museum, the project Al Sur de mi garganta, in Tirry 81, the CITMATEL center, the Gener and del Monte libraries and the University of Matanzas.

Writer Alfredo Zaldívar, winner of the National Publishing Award and member of the organizing committee, pointed out as important the colloquiums to be held at the Palacio de Junco museum, the gatherings at the UNEAC Social House, the Tesoro de Papel children’s pavilion at the City Conservator’s Office, performances at the Teatro de las Estaciones, debates at the Sala El Peregrino, at the Mederos gallery-workshop, and the activities of the AHS in the area of Los Chivos Park and Entre Puentes square.

Reporting on their fair projects, among others, the National Theater Award, Rubén Darío Salazar, who expressed:

«In the midst of the unrest in which we live, we must not lower the spirit. Our spiritual, intellectual and political nourishment contributes to reach a sense of life, of essences».

He said that the differences between the physical and digital book raise a permanent battle, whose purpose is that both coexist and the fairs are maintained even in the absence of paper.

«For us, what is vital is to promote Martí, Dora Alonso, Lorca, René Fernández, José Manuel Espino. When we create a show, we promote literature in many ways and the performative recital Un puñado de primavera en el pecho, which we are going to do with Espino, will be a different, singular activity, because it will have the poet live, not digital, and will carry the images of what he writes.

«We would like to multiply its presentation in many places, for its quality of enriching souls. We use a selection of poems by a writer who has won numerous national awards and unpublished verses conceived for us, in his voice, accompanied by puppets, scenery and music from the works of Estaciones. There will be games and theatrical illusions and it will have a lot of future, of the new thing we dream to do for children.»

The provincial director of Culture, Osbel Marrero, specified that the full program is available to readers in a public QR, on Facebook platforms, www.libroatenas.wordpress.com and the digital pages of the provincial press media.

In future issues we will detail the program day by day.

Written by María Elena Bayón.