ULAN BATOR, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- The 40th edition of Mongolia's National Book Festival officially opened in Ulan Bator, the capital of Mongolia, on Friday, bringing together hundreds of authors, publishers, readers and book lovers from Mongolia and abroad.
The festival is being organized by the non-governmental organization Nomiin Soyolt Yertunts (World of Book Culture) at Sukhbaatar Square in the heart of the capital.
The festival aims to promote a culture of reading and appreciation for books, encourage children and young people to read more, and provide an opportunity for readers to meet and interact with authors and writers, according to the organizer.
Held under the motto "Let's read more and love our planet," the book festival features more than 300 authors and over 200 publishing houses, as well as representatives from countries including China, India, Japan, South Korea and Kyrgyzstan, it said.
The three-day event includes book fairs featuring both new and previously published titles, meetings and discussions with Mongolian writers, presentations of new books by foreign authors, and mass public reading sessions.
Visitors can also explore a wide range of books and take part in activities designed to encourage reading among children and young people.
The National Book Festival was first held in 2007 and has since been organized twice a year, in spring and autumn. Over the years, it has grown into Mongolia's largest book-related cultural event, attracting increasing numbers of readers, writers, publishers and international participants.
The festival has also become an important platform for promoting literature, supporting the publishing industry and fostering a stronger reading culture among Mongolia's younger generation. ■
