Italy main guest at Abu Dhabi book fair

(ANSA) - Beirut, April 28 - Italy is the guest of honour at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, which got underway on Wednesday.
    The Italian pavilion presents 16 publishing houses and a large number of authors, including mystery writer Donato Carrisi and Mediaevalist Franco Cardini. There is also a display of ancient texts from Rome's Angelica Library including a Bible in Arabic and a Koran in Latin.
    Heinz Beck and Andrea Mugavero are among the celebrity chefs who will present dishes inspired by famous Italian literary characters and their authors. Italy aims to boost cultural, economic and political cooperation with Abu Dhabi through its participation in the book fair.
    To this end, culture undersecretary Antimo Cesaro has met with local authorities to explore how Italy can help the Emirates invest in quality tourism particularly with respect to culture and museums. "We can make an important contribution towards cataloguing and valorising the remains that come to light during the archaeological excavations planned by Abu Dhabi," Cesaro said. "In addition, the Institute of Italian Culture in the Emirates will be inaugurated in a few months' time, while the first Italian assistant has taken up a position at Zayed university this year," he added.
    photo: crown prince of Abu Dhabi (left)