From the 25th to the 28th of November 2021, the 18th Thessaloniki International Book Fair takes place
The Hellenic Foundation for Culture has the pleasure and the honour to announce that the 18th Thessaloniki International Book Fair will take place from 25 to 28 November 2021, at the Helexpo facilities in Thessaloniki.
Also, for the second consecutive year, the 18th Thessaloniki International Book Fair is under the auspices of her Excellency, the President of the Hellenic Republic Mrs. Katerina Sakellaropoulou, while literature from German-speaking countries will be the guest of honour.
The president of the Hellenic Foundation for Culture, Nikos A. Koukis, states characteristically: “We are more than happy since last year’s great success of the 17th TIΒF, which was held exclusively online, allowed us to respond to various challenges and turn the unfavorable situation of the pandemic into an opportunity. The knowledge and experience we have gained, serve as a challenge and an obligation for us; we will offer to the audience of the 18th TIBF a big, international book fair in Greece which will combine the physical presence with the digital environment. We now serve the needs of two large categories of audience: the large number of visitors who love, visit and watch the TIBF in its own city but also the wider international audience online that attended the previous bookfair. We are particularly pleased that 35% of our visitors at the 17th TIBF were aged 18-34. In 2021, we return to our beloved Thessaloniki, while our expectations and goals are aiming high”.
More specifically, the 17th TIBF which was held from 19 to 29 November 2020 has been very successful in terms of quantity and quality. The challenge of the online TIBF became an internationally successful model, as the Greek organization followed the international book fairs in Beijing and Frankfurt. The 17th TIBF addressed an extended international audience of 40,000 visitors, lasting 11 days, with 100 hours of live broadcast through 4 channels, 112 participations of publishers and organizations, 210 events, 700 speakers and 40 international participations by well-known authors.
At the 18th TIBF, the main theme will be that of the 1821 Greek Revolution; along with events, meetings and themes that reflect concerns from the social circumstances experienced worldwide. The objectives of the HFC include the renewal and expansion of the children’s corner, the organization of a students’ conference to enhance the notion of reading promotion in teenagers, enhancing the translators’ meetings and the festival of young writers with Masterclasses as well as the involvement of as many organizations and institutions of Thessaloniki as possible, during the book fair.
The know-how acquired at the 17th TIBF and the remote participation of special guests with the use of studios and digital platforms will also be utilized this year, before and during the TIBF, bringing to the forefront a new, innovative model of book promotion.
The 18th TIBF is organized by the Hellenic Foundation for Culture in collaboration with TIF – HELEXPO, the Region of Central Macedonia, the Municipality of Thessaloniki, the Associations of Greek Publishers as well as independent publishers, with the support and cooperation of the Ministry of Culture and Sports. It is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund, in the framework of the ROP of Central Macedonia 2014-2020.
