Fidel Castro, Bob Marley highlighted at Cuba book fairFebruary 10, 2012 - 20:27 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Cuba opened its 21st annual international book fair, the high point of the communist nation's cultural calendar, with a new book by former president and revolutionary icon Fidel Castro. More than 200 foreign writers and intellectuals were to take part in the celebration, which lasts through February 19. This year's event highlights the culture of the "Greater Caribbean" - defined as a vast, transnational and multicultural swath extending from New Orleans in the southeastern United States to the state of Bahia in Brazil. The book fair also offers a special tribute to reggae's best known figure, the late musician Bob Marley. A Bob Marley tribute concert has been planned for this Friday, February 10 at Havana's Mella Theater, attended by a score of Caribbean musicians, including Barbados's Mighty Gabby; Shermelle 'Skarpion' Williams from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Cuba's own Gerardo Alfonso. Castro's 1,000 page book, "Fidel Castro: Guerrilla of Time," recounts his stories from his childhood and explains how he became a revolutionary. It also touches upon the story of already familiar story here of how his band of 300 fighters in the Sierra Maestra mountains eventually prevailed over the government of Fulgencio Batista in the revolution that seized Havana on New Year's Day in 1959. More then 400 books are to be featured at the fair, to be held in a large Spanish-style fortress near Havana Bay. Among the writers and intellectuals confirmed to attend is novelist Adolfo Perez Esquivel, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. Other participants include Brazilian theologian Frei Betto, French-Spanish writer Ignacio Ramonet, the Dominican poet Roberto Carlos Gomez, Puerto Rican writer Humberto Garcia Muniz, American historian Peter Phillips and Russian novelist Marina Moskvina. After the book fair concludes, it will travel around the country, wrapping up on March 4 in the eastern city of Santiago de Cuba. Top stories The creative crew of the Public TV had chosen 13-year-old Malena as a participant of this year's contest. She called on others to also suspend their accounts over the companies’ failure to tackle hate speech. Penderecki was known for his film scores, including for William Friedkin’s “The Exorcist”, Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining”. The festival made the news public on March 19, saying that “several options are considered in order to preserve its running” Partner news | European Parliament to discuss repression in Azerbaijan The European Parliament will discuss repression of civil society in Azerbaijan on April 24 PACE wants concessions from Azerbaijan to accept Baku back A PACE co-rapporteur said that Azerbaijani authorities must make certain concessions so that the country can return to PACE. Cyprus parliament honors Armenian genocide victims Acting House President Zacharias Koulias noted that April 24 marks the “black anniversary” of the Armenian genocide. Armenia PM, France envoy discuss regional matters Issues related to the consistent development of Armenia-France cooperation were discussed. |