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Edinburgh International Book Festival opens with widely int'l program

Xinhua, August 16, 2015 Adjust font size:

The 2015 Edinburgh International Book Festival opened on Saturday to 17 days of ideas, debate, discussion and lots of books.

Over 800 writers from 55 countries around the world offers books that range from the deeply personal to the fiercely political, from the unforgettably moving to the uproariously entertaining, said the Book Festival Director Nick Barley.

"This year's Festival program is about Trading Stories, where translation is a creative tool to help us understand cultures that may seem distant, yet once translated, their stories resonated powerfully with us," said Barley.

Councillor Richard Lewis, Festivals and Events Champion, City of Edinburgh Council said: "As the world's first UNESCO (the United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture) City of Literature, Edinburgh is world-renowned as a thriving hub for literature", hailing the inspiring Festival program packed with great stories for young and old alike.

The Edinburgh International Book Festival began in 1983 and is now a key event in the August Festival season, celebrated annually in Scotland's capital city. Biennial at first, the Book Festival became a yearly celebration in 1997.

Programming 750 events for adults, teens and children, the Book Festival, which attracts around 220,000 visitors each year, ends on Aug. 31 at Charlotte Square Gardens transformed into a magical tented village. Endit