Brazil’s top leaders, headed by its new president Jose Sarney, paid a formal visit to the exposition of the Jewish book fair here, the World Jewish Congress reported today.
According to the Latin American branch of the WJC, the Brazilian President and other government officials were shown through the fair by Gerson Bergher, president of the Bialik Library and the fair’s promoter. Accompanying President Sarney were Foreign Minister Olavo Setubal, Minister of Communications Antonio Carlos Magalhaes, and Planning Minister Joao Sayad.
The Brazilian leader was received at the fair with enthusiastic applause and to musical accompaniment by the Brazilian Jewish Choir.
The fair, sanctioned by the Brazilian Academy of Letters, exhibited works representing more than 400 titles of Jewish and non-Jewish authors dealing with the diverse range of Jewish-related subject matter.
The book fair was opened by Brazil’s Minister of Culture Aluisio Pimenta, who said that “events such as these fill us with joy and demonstrate that in Brazil there is much good to be realized.” Bergher, for his part, stressed that the fair was an undertaking aimed at preserving Jewish identity and marked a cultural contribution for the construction of modern civilization.
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