Greek and Chinese authors and publishing houses signed an agreement of cultural exchange on August 31, further promoting the bilateral cooperation in the field of literature and culture and paving the way for the publication of a "double book" in both languages.

The signing ceremony.

According to the agreement, two children books will be published, one written by a Greek author and illustrated by a Chinese illustrator and the other written by a Chinese author in collaboration with a Greek illustrator. Both books, in the same bundle, will be published simultaneously in Greece and China. Mr. Eugenios Trivizas, a famous Greek author has already agreed with The People's Literature Publishing House, a member of China Publishing Group, to write one of the books and Qin Wenjun the other.

Greece is realizing the agreements of strategic partnership with China and is looking forward to enhance cooperation in culture, tourism and other areas of common interest, noted Mr. Giorgos Poussaios, General Secretary for Tourism, who attended the event. Mr. Poussaios, referred to the efforts of the Greek government to introduce several aspects of modern Greece to the Chinese public and hailed the cultural agreement between Greek and Chinese authors and publishing houses as an important step towards this goal. "We hope that through this book and our presence in the Shanghai Expo, Chinese people will learn more about Greek culture. We welcome all Chinese to visit Greece and experience modern Greece first hand", said Mr. Poussaios.

Mr. Sun Shoushan, Vice Minister of General Administration of Press and Publication, who has been in Greece for the 7th Thessaloniki International Book Fair, said that the agreement underlies the cultural exchanges between the two ancient civilizations. Literature acts as a bridge bringing together distant peoples and cultures, noted Mr. Sun.

The agreement is part of the Chinese "all people" civil reading program, which promotes international books to Chinese children, parents and teachers. The books, translated in simplified Chinese, will be distributed to schools and youth organizations around China. As Chinese officials explained, Greece was picked as the first country to sign such an agreement due to its historical significance and its huge contribution to the western civilization.

The two countries have intensified their cultural exchanges in literature during recent years, with China being the guest of honor in the 7th Thessaloniki Book Fair, a major book event in Greece, and Greece being the guest of honour at the Beijing Book Fair in 2008.