Eminent author from Guatemala Professor Euda Morales Friday said freedom is very important for the people of her country as they cherish the right to think and express freely.
Guatemala is the theme country in this edition of the International Kolkata Book Fair.
"Guatemala is more like your country. We cherish the right to free thinking, the right to talk freely without fear and criticise when we think in that way," she said drawing parallels with India.
Morales was talking to reporters after addressing the 'Ashok Kumar Sarkar Memorial Lecture' at the International Kolkata Book Fair.
Morales said though book fairs and book exhibitions took place in her country, the number of books and visitors are far less in quantity.
"I can see this is so big for me... enormous and large a book fair. I can see people in India read a lot, otherwise not so many books would be available. I appreciate that very much," she said.
"(In Guatemala) we have many people who are very intellectual
