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The Jerusalem International Book Fair has taken place once every two years since 1963 and draws thousands of visitors, hundreds of publishers and dozens of writers from various countries of the world.The name of Lithuania ran proudly and solidly in the 23rd Book Fair which took place in Jerusalem International Convention Center on 18-23 February 2007. The inauguration of the Fair on 18th February started with the ceremony “People of the World Inscribe the Bible – a Book of 1000 Tongues”. Mrs. Tzipi Livni, Israeli Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs inscribed the first verse in Israel in Hebrew, the ambassadors accredited to Israel inscribed the verses in their native speeches. Ambassador of Lithuania Mrs. Asta Skaisgirytė Liauškienė incribed the prophecy of Isaiah in the Lithuanian language.
Lithuanian Publishers’ Association organized the impressive stand and many visitors were captivated by the rich collection which comprised books on Lithuanian history, judaica, ethnical minorities, works of fiction, non-fiction, and art. The stand was crowded and the visitors after casting their eyes on the shelves browsed the books to find familiar places or names, or at least to explore Lithuanian script and to admire ingenious illustrations.
Non-commercial organisation “Books from Lithuania” organized Lithuanian literary programme. On 20th February Markas Zingeris, Lithuanian prose writer, poet and playwright met with curious readers in the Literary Café of the Book Fair. He introduced his creative work, read out one of his short stories with great expression, surveyed contemporary Lithuanian literature, and answered tricky questions masterfully.
On 21st February in the crammed Literary Café Oren Nahari, an Israeli intellectual and journalist had engrossing discussions with three European authors: Florina Ilis, Romania, Josef Haslinger, Austria and Marius Ivaškevičius, Lithuania. The latter is a representative of the youngest generation of Lithuanian writers, prose writer and playwright. He was assailed with questions about his creative work, attitude of young people towards historical past, the role of the writer while the society is in transition from one social order to another.
Lithuanian delegation led by the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture Rolandas Kvietkauskas on 21st February met with Zev Birger, Chairman and Managing Director of the Jerusalem International Book Fair, who was born in Kaunas before the World War II and is an ardent nowadays supporter of Lithuania. Both sides discussed more extensive Lithuanian participation in the next Jerusalem Book Fair in 2009 when Lithuania will commemorate millennium of statehood and Vilnius will be European capital of culture.