The 48th International Kolkata Book Fair will kick off on January 28 and continue until February 9, 2025, organisers Publishers and Booksellers Guild said here on Friday.

The fair will feature Germany as the focal theme country, showcasing its rich cultural heritage and literary legacy, they said.

Guild president Tridib Chatterjee said the concept of Kolkata Book Fair, first held in 1976, was inspired by Germany’s Frankfurt Book Fair, and many of the Guild’s founding members were regular attendees there.

Over the years, representatives from the Frankfurt Book Fair have also visited Kolkata, strengthening cultural ties, he said.

Sudhangshu Dey, the guild's general secretary, said the guild has participated in the Frankfurt Book Fair on multiple occasions, especially when India was the theme country in 1984 and 2006.

Astrid Wege, director of the Goethe Institute, expressed her honour at Germany being invited as the focal country, while Simon Kleinpass, Vice Consul of Germany in Kolkata, emphasised that the fair will further foster exchanges between the people of both the countries.

The fair will be inaugurated by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at Central Park, Salt Lake.

The event will feature participation from several countries including the UK, USA, France, Italy, Spain, and several Latin American nations. Indian states like Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra, among others, will also have their publications represented, Dey said.

Guild officials said the fair is one of the largest in the world in terms of visitor turnout, with 27 lakh bibliophiles attending the 2024 edition and book sales totaling Rs 23 crore.

A major highlight of the fair will be the Kolkata Literature Festival, which will feature discussions on art, literature, and other societal issues. The exact dates for the festival will be announced closer to the fair's opening.

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