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International Non-fiction book fair opens in Moscow

Writers from France, Hungary, Poland, Japan, Austria, Switzerland are among the foreign guests of the forum

© TASS/Pavel Smertin

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MOSCOW, November 26. /TASS/. An international book fair of non-fiction literature opened in Moscow on Wednesday. The books have been displayed on eight premises. The program includes around 500 interesting events — round table discussions for writers, seminars, lectures, demonstration of films, competitions.

"The number of events held in the framework of the book fair has been broadened after several programs on food catering and a forum of book designers were added. A total of 280 publishing houses and book shops have contributed their books to the fair," Director of the Moscow Central House of Artists Viktor Bychkov told a news conference on Wednesday.

Writers from France, Hungary, Poland, Japan, Austria, Switzerland are among the foreign guests of the non-fiction book forum. German literature is represented at the book fair as a special guest in the framework of the Cross Year of German language and Culture, said German ambassador to Russia Rudiger von Fritsch.

The International Non-fiction book fair has gained broad popularity since it was first held in 1999 when only 40 countries took part. Since then the number of participants has grown sevenfold.

Vice-president of the Frankfurt International Book Fair Tobias Foss is intent on continuing the business. "The Russian market is very attractive for foreign publishers. In 2010 Russia sold around 700 licenses for translation of German books; in 2013 around 300 licenses were sold," he said.

The book fair will be available for visitors for four days.

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