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Cuba, Guest of Honor
Cuba, described in verse by Nicolás Guillén
as a long green lizard, is the largest of the Antilles, and the
gatekeeper of the Gulf of Mexico. It is an exuberant archipelago,
comprised of the island which gave its name to the republic, the
Isle of Youth, and more than 4000 islets. The Cuban territory, with
a population of more than 12 million people, is divided into 14
provinces, 168 towns and one very special city.
The economy
The average annual economic growth has been
4.7% in the 1995-2000 period. It is estimated that domestic investment
reached more than 3.1 billion pesos in the same period, mainly IN
projects of strategic importance such as those related to the oil
and gas industry, the generation of electricity, nickel production,
and the development of tourism and communications.
Culture and development
Besides its natural beauty, and its splendid
colonial cities, the most prized treasure of Cuba is the legendary
hospitality and good naturedness of its people who express their
strong cultural identity.
The main challenge of the past four decades
has been a sustained effort in the educational and social field
to attain a high cultural level for all citizens. Hundreds of Cuban
institutions are today working towards this goal.
The publishing industry
Although the printing press arrived in Cuba
in 1720, the first publication, the "General Tariff for Medical
Prices" was not published until 1723.
During the period of Spanish domination,
Cuba remained an impoverished country, 75% of its population remaining.
In spite of this, paths to literature and to art, cemented by the
legacy of the great Cuban thinkers, were opened up during the republican
era. In his memoirs, Nicolás Guillén recalls that
only after a modest win in the national lottery did he manage to
find the resources to publish "Songoro Cosongo", whose
few scarce copies were given away to his closest friends.
Culture and Revolution
The law establishing the National Press of
Cuba IN March of 1959 was one of the first measures of the revolution.
This action, together with the National Literacy Campaign developed
in 1961 and the creation of the National Publishers Union in 1962—whose
first director was Alejo Carpentier—, marked the start of a unique
chapter in the cultural history of Cuba. The Cuban Book Institute,
founded in 1967, has clearly Fostered the book industry and the
overall consolidation of the book publishing system in Cuba.
The publishing industry is currently recovering
from the economic crisis of the 1990s; book production by the largest
national publishers has increased, now reaching 1,600 titles, with
more than 16 million copies printed annually, many of which can
be found in all the country's provinces.
The Havana International Book Fair is the most
important event in the Cuban publishing industry. The 2002 event
marked the expansion on the fair's activities to reach a total of
18 cities throughout Cuba.
Cuba
in Guadalajara
The literary portion of FIL will include
the participation of writers such as Roberto Fernandez Retamar,
Miguel Barnet, Pablo Armando Fernandez, and Cintio Vitier, all of
whom have have received the National Literary Prize, as well as
the participation of other eminent writers from diverse generations
and schools. Leading scholars and researchers will take part in
the various symposiums making up FIL's academic program. Cuba's
marvelous musicIans and its most famous vocalists, theater and dance will all be presented both in the fair and around the
city of Guadalajara. The visual arts will also be on display.
Participants and visitors to the 16th Guadalajara
International Book Fair will be able to appreciate an authentic
panorama of Cuban culture, underscoring the deep brotherhood between
the peoples of Cuba and Mexico. This cultural program will be an
eloquent testimony to the feelings of solidarity, resistance and
humanism which characterize the Cuban people in their struggle to
maintain their own identity.
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