(Communicated by the Office of the President)

President Shimon Peres (Saturday evening, 30 November 2013) inaugurated the Israeli pavilion at the Guadalajara International Book Fair during his state visit to Mexico. Israel was chosen to be this year's guest of honor at the fair, the most important Spanish-language book fair, and second in size only to the Frankfurt Book Fair, with 700,000 visitors.

The President cut the ribbon of the Israeli pavilion, officially launching its activity. President Peres toured the books and art works displayed in the pavilion, and spoke with the Israeli authors and members of the delegation to the fair. He said:

"Israel is a literary emipre, and we are proud to take part in the book fair in Mexico, which is also a cultural and literary superpower. Our authors and our stories grew out of the Israeli reality, which has not always been an easy one, and have spread throughout the world. I am proud to stand here as the President of the State of Israel and to inaugurate the Israeli pavilion."

The Israeli pavilion showcases Israeli culture, featuring leading authors, poets, members of the academic community and publishers, among them writers David Grossman and Etgar Keret, poets Ronny Someck and Agi Mishol, singers Ivri Lider and Achinoan Nini, and Prof. Ada Yonath, Nobel Prize laureate in Chemistry.

The Israeli pavilion and delegation will host more than 200 cultural activities throughout the city, presenting Israeli video art, an Israeli film festival, a food festival, and many Israeli exhibitions which will be displayed throughout the city of Guadalajara.