In May next year, the Atlapa Convention Center, the lovely oceanfront facility in Panama City, will once again turn the smell of seawater into a pleasant reek of ink, press and books.

This will be the venue of choice for Panama’s Fourth International Book Fair, slated from May 15 to 21, 2007, that according to Priscilla Delgado, the Fair’s Chairwoman and President of the Panama Book Chamber, will be dedicated to mark the 800th anniversary of the Mio Cid’s first printing. “There’s a great sense of solidarity going on for this fair. Many people are aware of how important it is to foster reading and of the positive changes this kind of event can bring about to the host nation.

“I think the Book Fair is the largest project we’ve ever taken on. Spain will be this country of honor this time around, so this implies a tremendous commitment to each and every one of us. Chile and Colombia have taken that honor in the past and everything has been alright.

“We’re putting an extra day into the event’s schedule and we’re planning to bring in top-of-the-line authors, some of whom have already confirmed their attendance. Some of those boldface names are Arturo Perez Reverte, Almudena Grandes, Plinio Apuleyo, Fernando Zabater and Rosa Montero. “Other elements worth mentioning here are the achievements we’ve already had in this organizational stage of the fair, including the fact that the city’s Mayor Office is sponsoring the Children’s Pavilion, and we hope to reel in some 435,000 kids. On the other hand we count on the full support of the Ministry of Education through the turnout of 450 Spanish teachers and professors, not to mention of number of initiatives we plan to pull off there. Like in past editions, the name of Panama will stand high in next year’s fair, an event of huge cultural implications for the nation.”