Book World Prague 2010

16^th Interational Book Fair and Literary Festival
Date: 13^th - 16^th May 2010
Venue: Prague Exhibition Grounds

Guest of Honour: Poland
Focus: Literature for Children and Young People, Intercultural Understanding through Literature

Opening hours

13 – 15 May 2010, 9:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
16 May 2010, 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Admission

One-Day Ticket, 13.05. - CZK 120
One-Day Ticket, 14.-15.05. - CZK 100
One-Day Ticket, 16.05. - CZK 50
Children 6-18 years, students, handicapped persons, pensioners - CZK 50
Permanent badge for public, 13.-16.05. - CZK 200
Free entry for children under 15 years of age accompanied by both parents.

BULLETIN BOOK WORLD PRAGUE

Guest of honour at the fair will be POLAND, whose exposition will present the best and latest offerings from the Polish literary scene. Poland’s programme will include opportunities to meet writers, signings, discussions, exhibitions, shows and workshops for children, plus a range of interesting events held away from the exhibition grounds. Poland’s key publishing houses will present their publications in the central exposition of books. Co-organizers of Poland’s participation in the fair are the Polish Institute in Prague and the Book Institute in Cracow. Patron of the Polish exposition is the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Poland, who will be present at the gala opening of the fair. We will be delighted to welcome to the fair Wisława Szymborska, laureate of the Nobel Prize in Literature, outstanding author of world renown Dorota Masłowska, Olga Tokarzcuk, who is well know to Czech readers, Andrzej Sapkowski, Andrzej Pilipiuk, novelist, poet and screenwriter Wojciech Kuczok, crime writer Marek Krajewski, unconventional novelist Michał Witkowski, and other writers of fiction, children’s books, essays and journalism, as well as visual artists and actors.

Exhibitors are from the following countries and regions:
Austria, Belgium (Flanders, Wallonia – Brussels), China, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Japan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taipei, United States, United Kingdom

The programme has been composed in cooperation with European centres of literature and organizations involved in the EU’s Literature Across Frontiers project, the EUNIC network of cultural centres in Europe, the House of National Minorities, the Department of Roma Studies of Charles University in Prague, the Museum of Romani Culture, cultural missions from foreign countries, and embassies in the Czech Republic.

The themes of the literary festival which accompanies the main fair are chosen principally for their attractiveness and the interest they are expected to raise among the general public; they should also serve as sources of inspiration for the exhibiting publishing houses:

Literature and the rapprochement of cultures UNESCO has declared 2010 the “International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures”, so we are preparing programmes and events devoted to the important role played by literature in the process of mutual recognition among diverse cultures. As part of this theme there will be meetings, debates and book presentations on issues such as the literary diaspora, cultural and linguistic identity, the role of literature in translation and how to promote it. Works of literature are one of the most important means of relaying “information” on culture, history and the contemporary life and characteristics of a given society.

Growing with the Book This theme has become a regular accompaniment to the literary programme of the fair. In 2010 it will place a greater emphasis on literature for children and young people. Growing with the Book will include a area called Children’s Book World, in which there will be a programme of film screenings, a literary competition, the opportunity to meet writers and illustrators, workshops, displays of illustrations and books, and a multimedia presentation. This area will also contain a library of children’s books from all over the world.
For the professional public there will be an opportunity to meet people engaged in the promotion of reading in a number of countries; the fair will also introduce the EU Read international initiative, of which the Growing with the Book campaign is a member. For the first time at the fair the preliminary round of the nationwide Readers’ Challenge competition will take place; this is inspired by the ‘Battle of the Books’ competitions that are held in primary schools in Francophone countries. Also of particular interest will be two exhibitions of award-winning books – from the prestigious Ragazzi Prize since 2000 (on loan from Bologna), and from Sweden’s Astrid Lindgren Prize.

Programme blocks of the literary festival

Meetings with writers
The work of writers and other literary personalities is presented at the festival in the form of author’s readings and discussions, book launches and signings. These take place in the halls of the fair or on publishers’ stands. The PEN Club has arranged a meeting of its members for the Friday afternoon. Publishers of original Czech literature will announce details of their programmes on their stands and in the halls.

Overview of authors from abroad who will be appearing at the fair
Veijo Baltzar (Finland), Attila Bartis (Hungary), Jean-Marie Blas de Robles (France), George Blecher (USA), Michael Buckley (USA), Stephen Clarke (UK), Peter Demetz (USA), Boris Folan (Slovakia), Katja Fusek (Germany), Anna Katharina Hahn (Germany), Pavol Hammel (Slovakia), Simon Mawer (UK), Klaus Merz (Switzerland), Katarina Michel (Slovakia/Germany), Mikael Nimei (Sweden), Angelika Overath (Swizerland), Inés Pedrosa (Portugal), Kamil Peteraj (Slovakia), Maria Peura (Finland), Pavol Rankov (Slovakia), Sven Regener (Germany), Helena Reich (Germany), Clemens J. Setz (Austria), Ceija Stojka (Austria), Annelies Verbeke (Belgium/Flanders), Sarah Waters (UK), Josef Winkler (Austria)

It has become traditional that the Night of Literature forms a preview to the main event, and this year is no exception. This evening of readings from the literatures of Europe in translation, which is organized by the Czech Centre in cooperation with institutions for culture as part of the EUNIC initiative, will be held on 12 May.

The Google company is planning for the fair a panel discussion on the topic “The Internet and Books”. This event will bring together representatives of publishing houses, authors, academics, organizations with an interest in books and literature in the Czech Republic and representatives of the Google company in a discussion of the opportunities afforded to Czech publishers by the Google Books service.
Participants in the panel discussion will have the chance to familiarize themselves with studies carried out by publishers who are using the service already. Representatives of the Google company will be happy to answer questions and to listen to any suggestions professionals active in this field should have.

Presentation of books
Individual works of literature and themes are presented at expositions of books and discussion programmes in association with partner and professional organizations from the Czech Republic and abroad. The programme for the professional public will include a visit of a delegation of German publishers (arranged in association with the Literature Houses of Munich and Prague), a delegation of Chinese publishers, and a delegation of Japanese writers.

Book World in Film
A programme of film screenings introducing works based on and inspired by works of world literature. The programme, which is organized by Book World in association with the Atlas and Ponrepo cinemas, begins a week before the opening of the fair. Screenings also take place directly at the exhibition grounds. The dramatic composition of the programme is prepared in association with the National Film Archive and the Studio Fáma 92 company.

Book World on the Stage A programme of contemporary theatre from the repertoires of theatres from across the Czech Republic, inspired by the themes of the literary festival.

The programme of the literary festival that accompanies the book fair will be posted on the Book World website from the beginning of April. www.svetknihy.cz.