Havana — Hundreds of people from Latin America, Africa and Asia last Thursday in Havana, Cuba, attended the official opening ceremony of the 22nd International Book Fair of Havana, which has exhibitors from 40 countries.

Under the traditional music of Duo Canhoto and Gabriel Tchiema the event was opened to the public, with Angola participating in it as a guest of honour.

In this edition, in which Angola is participating with a delegation of over 100 artists, the organisers managed to increase the number of items on display, with over a thousand new literary titles available, 700 writers and four million books.

Due to the absence of President Raul Castro, the opening speech was delivered by the chairman of Cuba's Book Institute, Zuleica Romay, in the presence of prominent intellectuals, editors, designers, brokers, scholars, politicians, diplomats and MPs.

The Angolan delegation includes the Culture minister, Rosa Cruz e Silva, the Angolan ambassador to Cuba, José César Augusto "Kiluanje", the ambassador Luis Neto Kiambata, writers, musicians, plastic artists, researchers of art and literature, book-sellers, editors, among others.

The exhibition, which will happen until February 24, is being attended by several exhibitors from Latin America, Europe, Africa and Asia.