Thessaloniki Book Fair Attracts 85,000 Visitors

The 20th Thessaloniki Book Fair attracted 85,000 visitors, featuring 850 exhibitors, 1,500 writers, and over 500 events, highlighting international collaboration and cultural exchange.

on May 22, 2024

Thessaloniki Book Fair Attracts 85,000 Visitors | Frontlist

The 20th International Book Fair of Thessaloniki drew 85,000 people over the weekend, according to organisers' reports released on Monday.

This year's edition included a wide range of offers, including 850 exhibitors, over 1,500 Greek and foreign writers, presenters, and book professionals from 40 countries. The fair held over 500 events across 14 halls, totaling 16,000 square meters.

A major highlight was the tribute to Sharjah, one of the United Arab Emirates' emirates, which focused on topics such as trauma, Syrian and Palestinian concerns, the refugee crisis, and cross-cultural understanding. The Sharjah kiosk included 13 books from Sharjah authors that had been translated into Greek, as well as debates with notable Arab and Greek cartoonist. The exhibition also included talks on developing women in the publishing industry, translation, feminism, and gender identification.

To facilitate international collaboration, around 30 foreign publishers and members of the ENLIT translation network met with Greek counterparts to discuss book production and rights acquisition.

The fair introduced a new interactive platform that provided visitors with information on events, exhibition kiosks, and live streaming of sessions.

This program was made possible thanks to financing from the Public Recovery Fund. The fair also attracted over 3,000 students from various educational levels in Thessaloniki and neighboring prefectures, enhancing their educational experience.

The Hellenic Culture Foundation organized the event in partnership with Greek publishers, TIF-Helexpo, the Central Macedonia Region, and the City of Thessaloniki. The Culture Ministry provided support. It was also co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund as part of the Central Macedonia Regional Business Plan 2021–2027.