After a 15-year gap, China will participate in the 49th International Kolkata Book Fair (IKBF), which will be inaugurated by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday evening. China was last present at the fair in 2011.
“They informed us at the last moment that they will be coming this year,” Tridib Kumar Chatterjee, General Secretary, Publishers & Booksellers Guild, told the media.
This edition of the fair, from January 22 to February 3, will see 21 countries participating, including Australia, which skipped last year. For the first time in 20 years, however, the US has decided to stay away.
“The International Kolkata Book Fair is one of the most renowned cultural events in Kolkata. Every year, the Chinese Consulate General attended the inauguration, visited book stalls, and participated in many cultural events during the fair…However, due to some technical reason, publishers of China have been unable to participate for many years, which is regrettable,” Xu Wei, Chinese Consul General in Kolkata, said in a statement to The Indian Express.
“In recent years, under the guidance of the top leaders of our two countries, China-India relations have been continuously improving and developing. The Chinese Consulate General is committed to enhancing friendly exchanges between the two peoples, and cultural exchange is an important aspect of this,” the statement added.
Wei said that although they were still unable to organise Chinese publishers to participate this year, the consulate would showcase some Chinese books from its collection—on display, not for sale—to demonstrate support for the book fair and to further strengthen bilateral cultural exchanges.
“Our book stall is not big, but it features decorative designs that reflect Chinese culture, such as Chinese couplets, lanterns, and the Great Wall picture. Most books are in Chinese, with a few in English,” he added. There will be close to 200 kinds of books, including those on Chinese literature and culture.
“Today, more and more foreigners are studying Chinese and like to know Chinese culture. We are pleased to see that some schools in India, in Kolkata, have opened Chinese language classes. I believe that our participation in this year’s book fair will attract more people to learn Chinese and Chinese culture, and strengthen the cultural bond between our two great nations,” Wei said.
Describing the Chinese couplets that would be placed on two sides of the book stall, Wei said they mean, “There is a path to the mountain of books through diligence, and the sea of learning has no bounds but hard work as the boat.”
This year, Ukraine will participate in the International Kolkata Book Fair for the first time. The presence of the war-torn nation is being seen as a significant highlight, with expectations that perspectives on Ukraine’s current situation and its people may be reflected through the fair.
Meanwhile, the US has decided to give the book fair a miss this year. “The US Consulate and American Center in Kolkata will not have an exhibition at this year’s international book fair. While we will not have an exhibit space this year, we welcome book lovers to the American Center library all year round,” Chris Elms, US Embassy Spokesperson, said in a statement to the Express.
Last year, the International Kolkata Book Fair recorded a footfall of 27 lakh visitors, and organisers are optimistic of a higher turnout this year. Improved Metro connectivity to Central Park, Salt Lake, is expected to aid access, with Metro ticket counters being set up between gates one and two inside the grounds.