Int'l Book Fair opens Sept 19

The countdown began this week to the annual Colombo International Book Fair (CIBF), Sri Lanka's best-patronised public exhibition, that opens at the BMICH on September 19.

In its 11th year, the fair will run for nine days encompassing two weekends, and will be opened to the public for 12 hours each day, organisers said.

Nearly half a million book lovers are expected to flock to this year's exhibition, at which local booksellers and publishers have taken 360 stalls and 40 stalls have been allocated to foreign publishers.

"Every bit of available space will be utilised in a well laid out stall plan to better accommodate the large crowds expected this year," said Upali Wanigasuriya, Secretary General of CIBF 2009. "We have incorporated the experiences from previous exhibitions to facilitate visitor flow around the stalls and make browsing and buying easier."

The 400 stalls will be located in ten sections, two of them at the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Exhibition Centre, four in the outdoor exhibition area in front of the centre, and four in the lobby areas of the main hall of the BMICH, he said.

Organised by the Sri Lanka Book Publishers' Association with the BMICH as co-organiser and with the support of the Booksellers and Importers Association of Ceylon and the Samastha Lanka Poth Velenda Sangamaya, the Colombo International Book Fair 2009 will be a showcase for book publishers, booksellers, author-publishers, sellers of educational aids and material and providers of IT services. It has attracted direct participation by exhibitors from the UK, USA, India, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Pakistan and Germany.

The Minister of Education Susil Premajayantha will be the chief guest at the opening of the Fair On September 19.

A highlight of the opening ceremony will be the presentation of cash awards and books to the best performers at the Year 5 Scholarship, G.C.E. Ordinary Level and G.C.E. Advanced Level examinations of 2008.