site.btaSpring Book Fair Opens in Sofia

Sofia's Spring Book Fair officially opened on Monday. This year's edition is taking place from June 1 to 7 in the park in front of the National Palace of Culture.

The Sofia International Literary Festival for Children and Youth (June 1-6) will also be held during the fair, which traditionally features local and foreign writers and illustrators. "A cultural program will turn the event into a true celebration of books with inspiring meetings, literary events and unforgettable conversations with favourite authors", the Bulgarian Book Association team said.

Chair of the Management Board of the Bulgarian Book Association Petya Gospodinova said that the Spring Book Fair in Sofia is a celebration of Bulgarian culture, free spirit and lively dialogue between authors, publishers and readers. "A love of books, built in childhood, develops young people's imagination, language culture, and ability to think independently and critically", Gospodinova said. Amid an overwhelming flow of information, reading is not merely a source of pleasure but a necessity, she noted. “Every book read opens a new world, fosters empathy, cultivates sensitivity, and shapes free individuals,” she added. According to her, a nation that raises children who read is raising thoughtful, free citizens.

National Palace of Culture Director General  Andriyana Petkova said that each generation of authors and readers enriches the literary world with new ideas and perspectives. In her speech, she drew a parallel between childhood and books. Petkova noted that there is no greater celebration than that of childhood, as childhood has the capacity never to grow old and to renew itself continually. In her view, books likewise retain their value over time.

Sofia City Library Director Marchela Borisova said the book fair is an opportunity for libraries to be intermediaries between literary works and readers. According to her, libraries, authors, and books open new worlds to young people and can awaken their curiosity for knowledge. That is why the role of libraries is to be an active mediator between literature and readers. Borisova expressed hope that the festival and fair will attract even more children and young people to reading. She wished that the stands would be filled with visitors in the coming days.

Spring Book Fair program director Iskra Djanabetska said that children's books make people more sensitive, more empathetic, and more respectful, and through them children can prepare for the challenges of the modern world. She noted that the forum is being held for the tenth consecutive year and already has its own history. According to her, over the years, dozens of foreign guests and the most prominent Bulgarian authors have met with the young audience precisely within the framework of the Book Fair. "Nineteen Bulgarian writers, illustrators and publishers and five foreign authors will meet with readers within the framework of the Sofia International Literary Festival for Children and Youth," Djanabetska also said.

Sofia Municipal Council Chair Tsvetomir Petrov said that the best gift for a child is a good book. He congratulated children on the occasion of International Children’s Day and noted that Sofia marks two occasions on that day: June 1 and the start of one of the country’s most significant literary events. He said that, in the coming days, the center of the capital would become an open-air library bringing together publishers, authors, and readers. Petrov emphasized that such initiatives create opportunities for books to meet their audience.

BTA is participating at the Book Fair through a mobile National Press Club and its own stand. BTA is a media partner of the Bulgarian Book Association.