Romanian International Book Fair Bookfest 2010 Now Open In Bucharest

"The book market is struggling with two crises," said Arsene, referring to the crisis on the print market and the global economic crisis. "Investing in the written word is the most profitable activity right now," he added, stressing that "we know the public is on our side."

The event was also attended by Rogelio Blanco Martinez, general director of the Books, Archives and Libraries Department within Spain's Ministry of Culture, Vasile Timis, state secretary with Romania's Ministry of Culture, and Liliana Preoteasa, general director with the Ministry of Education.

The fair's guest country this year is Spain. "The choice of our country was not arbitrary," said the Spanish ambassador, pointing to the bi-cultural, bi-lingual Romanian community in Spain and Spain's investments in Romania.

Spanish authors invited to this year's Bookfest include Ray Loriga, Angelica Liddell, Carme Rier, Lorenzo Silva, Paula Izquierdo, Rosa Montero, Jose Ramon Fernandez, Milagros Frias, and translators Joaquin Garrigos and Catalina Iliescu Gheorghiu.

The fair features more than 100 book launches, concerts, a children's area and an entire pavilion for events related to Spain. Bookfest will also hold the 2009 Romanian Writers' Union awards ceremony and film screenings in an event called "TIFF (Transylvania International Film Festival) at Bookfest."

Visitors will be able to donate books, which will be distributed to Romanian communities in Serbia and Bulgaria, and child shelters in Ilfov County by the "Ion Creanga" Library and the "Philos" Student's Association of the Bucharest University's Philosophy Faculty.

The 2010 Bookfest is organized by the Romanian Editors' Association, under the aegis of the Romanian Editors' Federation and the patronage of the Romanian and Spanish Culture Ministries, the Spanish Editors' Federation and the Cervantes Institute in Bucharest, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Bucharest City Hall. The fair will take place at Romexpo - pavilions 13-17. Admission is free.

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