Gerhard Schröder and Amre Mussa, the secretary general of the Arab League, opened the Frankfurt Book Fair on Tuesday
Published:
6 October 2004 y., Wednesday
Chancellor Schröder welcomed his Arab guests and stressed the importance creating a cultural dialogue.
The 56th Annual Frankfurt Book Fair got underway on Tuesday with more than 6,700 exhibitors from 110 countries gathering to present their latest literary offerings. This year, the literature of the Arab world will be the subject of special focus: the 22 members of the Arab League -- with the exception of Libya, Morocco, Algeria, Kuwait and Iraq -- are serving as special guests.
At the opening festivities, German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder and Amre Mussa, the secretary general of the Arab League, stressed the importance of using such events to foster a cultural dialogue between the Arab and Western worlds.
In his speech, Chancellor Schröder rebuked those who continue to view the Arab world through a lense of prejudice and preconceptions and heralded the Arab country's attendance at the book fair as a chance to set the record straight.
"Those who rely on false assumptions should be prepared to differentiate their views," said Schröder. "That's the only way to foster understanding between different cultures -- there is no better place for that to take place than at the Frankfurt Book Fair."
Extra security precautions were taken to ensure that all goes smoothly at this year's event, which will no doubt be dominated by political debate. Indeed, even the Chancellor touched upon certain hot button issues in his opening remarks, mentioning both the situation in Israel and in Iraq.
Šaltinis:
dw-world.de
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.
The most popular articles
Although only in the European Union for five weeks, Polish voters appear ready to elect an EU reformist this week
more »
Iraq will restore the death penalty after the return of sovereignty later this month
more »
Three deputies of group “Respublika”, who announced an indefinite hunger strike yesterday, have spent a night in the parliament in their offices
more »
Business management school “Baltic
Management Institute” (BMI) will start a course of high level management
according to the Western European standards in the one of the most modern buildings in Vilnius.
more »
“Europa” invites all challenge and race
lovers on the 5th of June at 12 o‘clock to participate in the organized for the
first time race to the highest business center in the Baltic states –
33-floreyed skyscraper “Europa”.
more »
Saudis Try to Calm Foreign Oil Executives, Prevent Price Increases After Attack on Petroleum Center
more »
Saudi commandos landed on the roof of a housing complex on Sunday morning - a dramatic end to a 25-hour drama
more »
The deadly roof collapse at a terminal in Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport may force authorities to transfer some airlines to a smaller field nearby, a top airport official said.
more »
The bass player for Latvia's top pop group, Prāta Vētra, has been killed in an automobile accident
more »
Prosecutors in France have opened an investigation into possible involuntary homicide
more »