World Book fair promises to be green with EU as guest

NEW DELHI: The New

Delhi World Book Fair

2018, on the theme of “environment and climate change”, will take place between January 6 and January 14 at the

Pragati Maidan

. The guest of honour for the ‘green’ fair will be the European Union, which will host an environmental protection photo exhibition at the venue.

Apart from showcasing more than 600 books on environment, the fair will also be putting eco-fiction books on its shelves. Highlighting this year’s theme, there will be discussions and conversation with authors on

climate change

and environment issues.

As part of this, the theme pavilion on Hall 7 will feature India’s ‘traditional affinity’ to sustainability. In all, over 800 publishers are expected to participate in the 13-day event, where over 20 countries from across the European Union will be present with a delegation of publishers, editors and authors. Popular Indian writers like Ruskin Bond, Narendra Kohli, Jerry Pinto and Paro Anand will hold talks at the fair this year.

To promote reading habits,

National Book Trust of India

has started an initiative called “Har Haath Ek Kitaab” (Books in Every Hand). NBT has also roped in Akashvani, Doordarshan and all FM channels to publicise the event. To spread awareness among the masses, a themed calendar has also been designed which will talk about important aspects like cleanliness and safeguarding animals, birds, water, air and trees.

Cultural presentation has been a popular segment of the fair in the past and this year too, there will be special performances showcasing India’s traditional as well as classical art forms. While Padma Bhushan awardee Sonal Mansingh will choreograph a classical fusion piece on conservation of our natural resources, folk singer Malini Awasthi will sing folk-songs in Hindi dialects like Awadhi and Bundeli.

With the aim to promote Indian books abroad and to facilitate business interactions to buy/sell translation rights between Indian and foreign publishers, NBT will be organising New Delhi Rights Table and January 8 and 9 at the venue itself.

The Rights Table would provide a unique opportunity for publishers from across the world to meet each other on a one-to-one basis and to finalise their interest and agreements for transfer of translation rights available in English, Hindi and other Indian languages.