Book World 2010 - 16^th International Book Fair And Literary Festival Bookworld Prague 2010 - 13^rd-16^th April 2010

CLOSING PRESS RELEASE

venue: Palace of Industry, Prague Exhibition Grounds (Holešovice)
Organizers: Association of Czech Booksellers and Publishers, Svět knihy, s.r.o. [Book World, Ltd.]
Partners: Czech Television, Czech Radio, Lidové noviny, Prager Zeitung, A2, Host, Grand Biblio, Radio 1; Czech Centres, Literature Across Frontiers; Mövenpick, Auroton Computer, Fagor, Fatboy, Microsoft
Patrons: Minister of Culture of the Czech Republic, Mayor of the City of Prague, Chair of Prague 7 District Council
Sponsors: Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, Prague City Hall

Guest of honour at this year’s book fair and literary festival was POLAND, under the motto “Have We Got Poland Read?” Co-organizers of Poland’s participation in the fair were the Polish Institute in Prague and the Book Institute (Poland). Present at the fair were Wisława Szymborska, Dorota Masłowska, Olga Tokarzcuk, Andrzej Sapkowski, Wojciech Kuczok, Marek Krajewski, Michał Witkowski, and other writers of fiction, children’s books, essays and journalism, as well as visual artists and actors.

Exhibitors and guests were from these countries and regions (34):
Austria, Belgium, Brazil, China, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, United Kingdom, USA, Wales

Partners in the composition of the programme: 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; Goethe-Institut, the Austrian Cultural Forum and the Swiss Confederation (as part of the “Das Buch” project); cultural missions from foreign countries and embassies in the Czech Republic

Themes of the literary festival, which accompanied the main fair
Intercultural Understanding through Literature UNESCO has declared 2010 the “International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures”, so we prepared programmes and events devoted to the important role played by literature in the process of mutual recognition among diverse cultures, ethnic groups and civilizations as well as among people of different opinions, orientation, experience of life and attitude.

Growing with the Book – literature for children and young people – Growing with the Book included an area called Children’s Book World, in which were held a range of events such as literary competitions, opportunities to meet writers and illustrators, workshops, displays of illustrations and books, and a multimedia presentation. This area also contained a library of children’s books from many different countries. For the professional public there was the opportunity to meet people engaged in the promotion of reading in a number of countries; the fair also introduced the EU Read international initiative, of which the Growing with the Book campaign (which was launched by Book World in 2004) is a member. For the first time at the fair the preliminary round of the nationwide Readers’ Challenge competition took place. Also of particular interest were two exhibitions of award-winning books – from the prestigious Ragazzi Prize since 2000 (on loan from Bologna), and from Sweden’s Astrid Lindgren Prize.

Prizes awarded at the fair: Jiří Orten Prize (organized by the Association of Czech Booksellers and Publishers), Premia Bohemica (Writers’ Guild), Map of the Year (Cartographic Society of the Czech Republic), Tourmap (Tourfilm Festival and Avant Promotion), Prize of the Academy of SF, Fantasy and Horror, Pince-nez and Little Pince-nez (Writers’ Guild), Dictionary of the Year (Association of Translators and Interpreters), Although we live in different countries, books bring us together (Book World Ltd., as part of its “Growing with the Book” campaign for the promotion of book-reading), School is the Foundation of Life (Writers' Guild), Our World 2010 (National Institute for Children and Young People of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports), plus many other prizes awarded by individual publishing houses.

Book World in Film – 53 film screenings (8 – 16 May)
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, began a week before the opening of the fair. Screenings also took place directly at the exhibition grounds. The dramatic composition of the programme was prepared in association with the National Film Archive. Book World on the Stage – 41 theatre performances on 20 Stages (15 April – 15 May)
A programme of contemporary theatre from the repertoires of theatres from across the Czech Republic, inspired by the themes of the literary festival

Statistics
Literary Festival in statistics