Thessaloniki International Book Fair is opening tomorrow!

A grand celebration... an established meeting place... a unique experience... every May… in Thessaloniki... the 6th Thessaloniki International Book Fair.

The 6th Thessaloniki International Book Fair is awaiting the arrival of thousands of visitors with much and great anticipation. The wealth of books published in Greece… the presence of Greek and foreign writers and professionals… hundreds of events for children and adults… tantamount to a very special event, to be held at HELEXPO’s facilities, which cover an area of 10,000 sq. m. There will be more than 500 publishers from 40 different countries (China and India will be represented at the Fair for the very first time), 70 of the biggest names in writing, and of course, thousands of books for every preference…

Thessaloniki Book Fair (TBF) takes place from the 28th until the 31st of May at HELEXPO Exhibition Centre (Halls 13 and 15). It offers visitors an opportunity to get acquainted with the latest releases of publishers from all over the world.

* Take your time to roam around the publishers’ stands.

* Choose from a varied programme of cultural events.

* Join in discussions with writers from Greece and abroad, and ask them to sign their books for you.

This year’s Fair will have:

1. A thematic exhibition, entitled “Books and History”, featuring books on all the different periods of Greek history (11 units), visual material, rare publications and manuscripts, documentaries, presentations and various events organized by cultural bodies and organizations;

Poster from the Balkan War era.

2. Germany, the guest of honour, with its impressive pavilion and some of the country’s most important cultural figures;

3. A Children’s Corner, for the younger visitors, offering a series of events featuring their beloved writers and illustrators;

4. A Magazine Stand, featuring literary and commentary journals;

5. A Literary Cafe (Hall 13), a meeting point and a place of relaxation for both visitors and professionals, where they can enjoy a free cup of coffee (kindly sponsored by Domingo).

6. A Foreign Language Bookstore

Also, the Hellenic Ministry of Culture has dedicated the year 2009 to the poet Giannis Ritsos (“Giannis Ritsos 2009 – 100 years since his birth”). EKEBI has therefore planned a special ode to Giannis Ritsos, featuring the mobile exhibition on the poet’s life and work, spotlighting both the originals and translations of his work. On Saturday 30 May (20:00), a concert will be held in the main square of the Fair, with a great festive atmosphere and songs by Mikis Theodorakis, Thanos Mikroutsikos, Christos Leontis and Panagiotis Bousalis.

The Fair is organized by the National Book Centre of Greece (ΕΚΕΒΙ), in co-operation with the Greek Ministry of Culture, HELEXPO and the Pan-Hellenic Federation of Publishers and Booksellers (PΟΕΒ). The Fair is a project co-financed by the European Union (ERDF) and the Hellenic Ministry of Culture (EU Culture Program).

The opening ceremony of the Book Fair 2009 will take place on Thursday, 28 May 2009, at 7:00 p.m. (see invitation above)

Admission is free.

Check the program here! (Greek only I'm afraid). EKEBI has a blog too, so check that out as well!

As every year since it began, the company I work for, Tetragon, has designed and built all the stand that are related to EKEBI: their own, the thematic exhibition stand (Books and History), the Children's Corner and the Literary Cafe. Photographs and more on the next days! See you there!

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