OREANDA-NEWS  Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the book, despite the widespread use of advanced technologies and mass media, remains the most important source of education.

"After all, despite the widespread use of advanced technologies and mass media, the book remains the most important source of education, teaches goodness, educates the best qualities in a person, high moral guidelines," Putin said, his greeting to the Red Square Book Festival was read by the plenipotentiary representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Central Federal District Igor Shchegolev.

The Head of State added that the Red Square Festival is always a bright, long-awaited event that gathers writers, representatives of publishing, librarianship, cultural, scientific and expert circles on the main square of Moscow.

He also noted that the program of the book festival in 2023 is rich and diverse, it will delight visitors not only with the organization of the events themselves, but also with performances by well-known creative teams, meetings with beginning their professional path and popular writers and poets, including from new regions of the Russian Federation.

"And of course, the book festival is a truly priceless gift for many reading lovers... I am sure that the festival will attract the interested attention of a large number of specialists and guests, will promote the popularization of high-quality, meaningful literature and reading culture in general - especially among young people," the Russian leader concluded.