Colombo International Book Fair opens on September 10

The Colombo International Book Fair (CIBF), Sri Lanka's most patronised public exhibition, opens at the BMICH on September 10 with a record 382 stalls, and a host of special events and features that organisers say will set new standards for exhibitions in this country.

In its seventh edition, the nine-day exposition of the latest and best that the local and international literary worlds have to offer will take on a festival atmosphere, and is expected to improve on last year's record of 350,000 visitors.

The lobby areas of the main hall of the BMICH, the adjacent Sirimavo Bandaranaike Exhibition Centre and the grounds will be utilised for this mega event, at which 36 foreign and 165 local exhibitors have confirmed participation.

In Colombo this week, five leading book publishers/booksellers formally signed contracts to sponsor the CIBF 2005, with Vijitha Yapa Bookshop taking on the mantle of principal sponsor.

Sarasavi Bookshop, Samayawardhana Bookshop, Godage & Brothers and Jeya Book Centre took co-sponsorship, while Sampath Bank was designated official Banker and Rupavahini the electronic media sponsor. "The growth of the Colombo International Book Fair year-on-year is phenomenal," said Ranjith Samaranayake, Managing Director of Samaranayake Publishers and Chairman of the Organising Committee. "It is an event that any international convention organizer would be proud to be associated with and provides the reading public in Sri Lanka with a world class exhibition of titles as well as unbeatable prices," he said.

Entrance is free to the CIBF, which will run from September 10 to 18, and will be open from 9.30 am to 8 p.m.