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In the current context, "in the face of threats to democracy and fundamental human rights, the book must be the shield that protects us from the toxicity of manipulative discourse, from mirages and the danger of returning to the totalitarian past, president Klaus Iohannis said Wednesday in a message on the occasion of the opening of the Bookfest Chisinau International Book Fair, read by presidential adviser Sergiu Nistor.
"In a context where the Moldovan society is more and more committed to the European path and the authorities are trying to counteract the effects of the aggression of the Russian Federation on Ukraine, the humanist values, which the book and the reading promote, take on a special significance. The dark years of communism taught us that in the book we find our guide to freedom!" president Iohannis says in his message, agerpres reports.
"Thus we emphasize the importance of the book and the Romanian language in our common cultural heritage and show our appreciation for poets, writers and the reading public," adds Iohannis.
He points out that Bookfest Chisinau, organized by the Association of Romanian Publishers and the State University of the Republic of Moldova, has become, since 2016, a "landmark of Romanian publishing life".
"It is an event that periodically brings the book back into the spotlight, turning it into a genuine bridge of spirituality and solidarity between the two banks of the Prut," says the president.
Iohannis recalls that Bookfest Chisinau 2023 starts on the eve of the celebration of the Romanian Language Day, both in Romania and in the Republic of Moldova.
"Through dialogue among authors and readers, through openness to young people, pupils and students, this event becomes a testimony of the role, mission and destiny of the Romanian language and literature, as well as of the growth of our contribution to the universal cultural heritage. I wish good luck to Bookfest Chisinau 2023! I am convinced that, through the efforts of the organizers and the enthusiasm of the reading public, the book will triumph! Happy birthday to the Romanian language and its lovers!" says the president.
