Floating Book Fair on oldest passenger ship to visit city

Chennai, Apr 9 (UNI) In what would be a delight for bookworms, 'M V Doulos', the world's oldest passenger ship and the largest floating Book Fair would visit Chennai on April 13.

'Doulos', which toured the Gulf for the last three months, would be anchoring in Chennai after a gap of 13 years. Tamil Nadu Governor Surjit Singh Barnala would open the book fair, which would be on for public till May eight.

Built just two years after 'Titanic', 'Doulos' is the world's oldest ocean-going passenger ship still sailing.

With its enormous onboard book fair and its international crew of 320 volunteers, representting more than 40 coutnries, 'Doulos' is an international ambassador of goodwill and understanding, bringing knowledge, help and hope to the people of the world.

Over 6,000 books ranging from science, medicine and management to literature, hobby and cookery, sports, art and business, children's books, educatiotanl reference books and novels would be sold at the fair for non-profit prices.

''Most of the books are in English, with a smaller selection in local Indian languages'', official sources said.

On May five, the crew of 'Doulos', which was listed in the Guinness Book of world records, would celebrate their unique cultural diversity at an International Festival.

From Chennai, 'Doulos' would proceed to Visakhapatnam and from tere to Thailand and Malaysia.

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