Organisers of Kolkata Book Fair invited to Madrid Book Fair in 2025
KOLKATA: A day after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said “Spain is her favourite country” and if she ever visits the country to reciprocate the partnership, members of the Publishers and Booksellers Guild, Tribid Chatterjee, and Sudhangshu Sekhar Dey will accompany her, the director general of the Spanish Guild of Publishers extended an invitation to the organising body of the 46th International Kolkata Book Fair to represent the City of Joy at the Madrid International Book Fair.
Antonia Maria Avila, director general of the Spanish Guild of Publishers, on Tuesday said that India would be the focal theme country at the 2025 Madrid Book Fair.
“We would want India to be the theme country at Madrid Book Fair in 2025. We would like to have the presence of the Publishers and Booksellers Guild at our book fair in Madrid. This would result in a healthy and rich exchange of culture and literature among both countries,” said Avila.
Started in 1933, the Madrid Book Fair is one of the main cultural events for bibliophiles in Spain. In 2023 and 2024, Poland and Chile will be the theme countries respectively at the fair. In 2025, the Spanish Guild of Publishers wants India to be the guest and theme country.
Elated with the invitation, Tridib Chatterjee, general secretary of Publishers and Booksellers Guild, said: “This year, Spain is the focal theme country at Kolkata Book Fair. We would like to participate in the Madrid Book Fair in 2025. We are happy to have received the invitation.”
Speaking at the Spanish themed-pavilion at the fair in Boi Mela Prangan, he further added: “India is a vast country with many languages. We would be there in Madrid to represent our culture and literature.”
Meanwhile, Maria Jose Galvez Salvador, Director General for Books of Ministry of Culture and Sports of Spain and HE Jose Maria Ridao Dominguez, Ambassador of Spain to India,
donated books to various educational institutions on Tuesday, including to Sister Nivedita University, the Neotia University, Amity University and the BSS School.
