Inizjamed and Literature Across Frontiers

Prague and Thessaloniki Book Fairs - May 2006

Inizjamed'a series of six books of Contemporary Maltese Literature in Translation published in collaboration with Midsea Books was on display at the Prague Book Fair. The 12th International Book Fair - BOOKWORLD PRAGUE held between 4 - 7 May 2006 focused on Literatures of the North.

Bookworld Prague is very popular among the general reading public and attracts tens of thousands of people. It features numerous programmes for visitors: professional seminars and conferences, meetings with writers, author readings, presentations by publishers, and awards ceremonies for outstanding publishing and creative achievements. On a humorous note, the Translators Guild presents the annual Rack Anti-award—a prize for the worst translation of a foreign work into Czech.

The guest of honour this year was Latvia, a country that is collaborating closely with Inizjamed on a number of projects within the programme of Literature Across Frontiers. The six Maltese books were on display on the stand of Literature Across Frontiers.

The book fair was held in the Industrial Palace at the Prague Exhibition Grounds. Built for the Provincial Jubilee Exhibition of 1891, the Art Nouveau palace is dominated by its central hall, and features two wings. The total exhibition area of the palace was 10,000 square metres. See final statistics.

LAF will also be displaying Inizjamed's series of books at the Thessaloniki Book Fair in Greece between 25-28 May 2006, with the participation of 250 Greek and foreign exhibitors and more than 100 events, authors' meetings, professional seminars and workshops. Special thanks to Alexandra Büchler and Catrin Ashton of LAF.

BOOKWORLD PRAGUE 2006

12^th International Book Fair and Literary Festival

4^th – 7^th May 2006, Industrial Palace

Prague – Holešovice Exhibition Grounds

LATVIA

The BookWorld guest of honour was Latvia.

LITERATURES OF THE NORTH

The main focus of the book fair were Literatures of the North.

An important part of the book fair’s programme was dedicated to literatures of SLAVONIC states – non-EU members – thanks to support from the Czech Commission for UNESCO.

COMIC BOOKS AND GRAPHIC NOVELS for young people and adults – another focus of the festival – debates, new comics, book signings, exhibitions.

LITERATUREN – meeting with German and Austrian authors, joint programme of the Goethe-Institut and the Austrian Cultural Forum.

AWARDS – the book fair plays host to a number of literary award ceremonies.

International Conference LITERATURE ACROSS FRONTIERS was held on 3^rd May in the Internet Café, National Gallery – Trade Fairs Palace.

The three main areas selected for discussion were:

1. Translations of Slavonic Literatures (non-EU countries) in Editorial Plans of Publishers

2. Independent Publishing – Development – Innovations – Impulses

3. Support for the Publication of Books in Translation in Europe

PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES (35):

Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Byelorussia, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tunisia, Ukraine, Wallonie – Bruxelles

LITERARY FESTIVAL IN NUMBERS:

Number of participants:              269 (47 from abroad)         

Total number of programmes:  307                 

Number of exhibitions:               29

BOOK FAIR IN NUMBERS:

Number of exhibitors:  394                    

Number of stands:  213             

Area:  3 280 m²

Number of accredited journalists: 273

Number of visitors: 26 000