(VOVworld) - Vietnam is joining in the 40th International Kolkata Book Fair – one of the biggest of its kind in the world – in Kolkata, the capital city of India’s West Bengal state, as a honorary guest.

At the opening ceremony on January 25, Vietnamese Ambassador to India Ton Sinh Thanh said this is the first time Vietnam has attended the fair as a honorary guest. He expressed his hope that his country’s participation will contribute to the event’s success and help tighten the friendship and cultural cooperation between the two countries. Vietnam’s book pavilion at the fair displays more than 400 books in both Vietnamese and English. Many of them are about late President Ho Chi Minh, late General Vo Nguyen Giap, the country’s people and culture, and some literary works. Signature Vietnamese handicrafts are also being exhibited there.