The Cuban Ministry of Culture (Mincult) announced today the postponement to April of the Havana International Book Fair, scheduled to be held from February 10 to 20 at its usual venue in the San Carlos de La Cabaña Historic Military Park, due to the health crisis caused by COVID-19 in the region.

The route of the thirtieth edition of the event through the provinces of the island also changes its date, at the proposal of the Cuban Book Institute.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Culture states that the decision took into account the relevance of the event in the Cuban cultural scene and the epidemiological situation in the region, where most of the visitors come from.

Likewise, the document points out that the details of the new dates will be announced soon, while reminding that this time the literary festival will have Mexico as Guest of Honor.

Likewise, the literary meeting will be dedicated to the prestigious intellectuals Luis Alvarez and Alberto Prieto, distinguished with the National Prize for Literature (2017) and the National Prize for Social and Humanistic Sciences (2019), respectively.

Under the slogan Reading is Growing, the event will commemorate the centennial of the birth of Carilda Oliver and Jesús Orta Ruiz (the Naborí Indian), the 140th anniversary of the publication of the poetry book Ismaelillo, by National Hero José Martí, as well as the novel Cecilia Valdés or La Loma del Ángel, by Cirilo Villaverde.

With the change of schedule, the organizers hope that the most important event of the Cuban publishing sector will maintain its position as a stage of excellence for literature and its authors, editors, translators, designers, illustrators, distributors and the general public.