Book lovers will get a chance to browse through millions of books from 18 countries at the 17th World Book Fair beginning here on January 27. The nine-day fair, one of the biggest in the world, would have 1,294 participants, including 39 from various countries and international bodies such as ILO, WHO and Unicef.
Spread over eight halls at the Pragati Maidan fair ground, it will have 2,300 stalls and stands. Organised by the National Book Trust, a nodal body under the Ministry of Human Resources, the theme of the World Book Fair would be ‘Composite Culture in Multicultural Society’.
There would be an exclusive children’s pavilion coordinated by the National Centre for Children’s Literature. It will host varied activities for and by children, including workshops on bookmaking, science, creative writing and photography.
The exhibition will for the first time feature an exclusive youth pavilion. There will be a two-day international seminar on the theme. The fair will see participation from 18 countries including the US, Britain and Japan.