CubaPLUS Magazine

The 34th edition of the Havana International Book Fair will run from August 10 to 16, with preparations already complete at its main venue, the Línea y 18 Cultural Center in Havana’s Vedado neighborhood.  

At a press conference on Thursday, Juan Rodríguez Cabrera, President of the Cuban Book Institute, alongside Vice President Jessica Arteaga, unveiled the upcoming event’s program. This year’s fair features Russia as the Guest of Honor and is dedicated to the centennial of the birth of Cuba's historical leader, Fidel Castro.  

Organizers announced that more than two million books will be available, spanning classic and contemporary works, digital titles, and publications from the Territorial Publishing System (SET), which marks its 26th anniversary on August 13.  

Russian Ambassador to Cuba, Viktor Koronelli, highlighted that the event will showcase an extensive selection of classic and contemporary Russian literature. Russia’s participation will also feature a cultural showcase including a film series organized in collaboration with the Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Art and Industry (ICAIC).  

The fair's agenda includes several book launches dedicated to Fidel Castro's legacy, such as Fidel, siempre abogado (Fidel, Always an Attorney), published by Ediciones ONBC. Additionally, several prestigious national awards will be presented during the event, including the National Prizes for Literature, Social Sciences, and Publishing; the Nicolás Guillén Poetry Prize; the Alejo Carpentier Prizes for essays, short stories, and novels; the Hermanos Saíz Association’s Calendario Awards; and the Territorial Publishing System’s La Puerta de Papel recognition.  

The schedule will also feature panel discussions, seminars, and colloquiums, alongside key industry gatherings such as the Professional Book Trade Show, the Literary Editors and Translators Meeting, the Historians Gathering, the Poetry Promoters Meeting, the Librarians Meeting, and the Ibero-American Young Writers Gathering. Younger visitors can explore the Tesoro de Papel Children and Youth Pavilion, while digital and historical initiatives like the Cuba Digital and Nuestra Historia projects will also be spotlighted.  

Beyond its primary location, the fair will host activities across several sub-venues throughout the capital, including the Casa del ALBA Cultural, the Dulce María Loynaz Cultural Center, Casa de las Américas, the Center for Martí Studies, Pabellón Cuba, the José Martí National Library, the José Martí Memorial, the Casa de la Poesía, and the Fidel Castro Ruz Center.  

Following its conclusion in Havana on August 16, the book fair will travel to cities across the entire country, concluding its nationwide tour on September 16 in the eastern city of Santiago de Cuba.