KULTURA / CULTURE
dition to the exhibition part, the fair of- fers a rich programme of promotions, panel debates and discussions with au- thors. Some of the most impressive ep- isodes are linked to the arrivals of big names in literature locally and world- wide. For many writers, especially those from the region, appearing at the Bel- grade Book Fair is a kind of literary ini- tiation – marking the moment they first stood in front of a wider audience. For visitors, this fair also provides a chance to buy books at discount pric- es, to enjoy meeting writers and to ex- perience a real carnival of literature as they walk the exhibition halls. Despite the world of books digitising rapidly, the Belgrade fair confirms that nothing can replace the smell of freshly printed pa- per and the feeling of intimacy among people who share the same passion for the written word. FRANKFURT – CENTRE OF WORLD PUBLISHING If Belgrade becomes the Balkans’ capital of reading in October, there’s no doubt that Frankfurt represents the book capi- tal of the world. The Frankfurt Book Fair (Frankfurter Buchmesse) is the oldest and largest event dedicated to publish- ing anywhere in the world. Its roots date back to the 15 th century and the time of Gutenberg and the first printed books, when merchants gathered in Frankfurt to exchange manuscripts and incunab- ula. In its modern form, the fair was re- vived in 1949 and has since grown to to- day’s impressive proportions. For five days each October, Frankfurt becomes a gathering place for tens of thousands of publishers, agents, liter-
ary agents and authors from all over the world. Making this fair unique is the fact that it not only “sells” books, but also rights – copyright, translation, film and television. Many famous novels found their way to world audiences precise- ly through agreements struck in Frank- furt. The guest of honour country brings its national literary scene and culture to the fore at this fair, and that honour will this year belong to the Philippines. While the Belgrade Book Fair pre-
serves the intimacy and directness of live encounters between readers and authors, Frankfurt presents the full strength and scope of the global pub- lishing industry. Two fairs, two dif- ferent worlds: Belgrade, as a place of warmth, immediacy and regional ex- change; and Frankfurt, as a global stage that decides the fate of literary markets. They nonetheless prove the same thing: that the book remains the most important currency of culture.
Počasni gost Sajma svake godine donosi duh i literarnu tradiciju jedne nacije, a ove godine imaćemo priliku da upoznamo Kipar The Book Fair’s annual guest country of honour brings the spirit and literary tradition of a nation to Belgrade, and this year we’ll have the opportunity to get better acquainted with Cyprus
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