Azerbaijani books at the Bologna International Children's Book Fair
In recent years, the participation of Azerbaijani books in international book fairs has become a tradition. With the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan, numerous books, magazines, and brochures rich in information on literature, culture, tourism potential, ancient history, the country's development processes, and the reality of Karabakh have been exhibited consistently and attracted considerable interest among visitors at various international book fairs held in Frankfurt, Istanbul, London, Moscow, Budapest, Prague, Minsk, Turin, and others.
Participation in international fairs has also created new opportunities for exchanging experiences with countries that have achieved significant success in the publishing and printing sectors. During the fairs, meetings with various representatives from other countries are held and collaboration opportunities are discussed. At the same time, organizing meetings with diaspora representatives and local intellectuals, as well as exchanging views and providing documentation, conducted as part of the events facilitated by the Azerbaijani embassies accredited in their respective countries, positively influences the development of cultural ties with other countries.
In this context, with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Italy, Azerbaijan will be represented for the first time at the Bologna International Children's Book Fair, which boasts 55 years of experience and international renown, from April 1 to 4 of this year.
This year, 1,400 representatives of publishers, publishing houses, distributors, authors, and others from 80 countries will be attending the Bologna fair, and over 28,000 visitors are expected.
During the four-day fair, which also includes the publishing houses "Şərq-Qərb", "Qələm", and "Altun kitab" and representatives of the "F. Kocharli" Children's Library of the Republic, the specially designed Azerbaijani stand will promote and showcase Azerbaijan's culture, publishing tradition, and especially children's literature, and will foster relationships with foreign publishing partners. Also on display at the fair is the novel "A Taxi Driver in Baku. Kamala's Stories," by Italian journalist Barbara Cassani and published by Aracne. The book, whose plot revolves around family events between Baku and Rome, also provides insights into the country's history, culture, architecture, traditions, daily life, and multicultural environment. It is accompanied by seven true stories of women interviewed by the author.
The "Promotion of Azerbaijani Books in the World" project was presented at the fair, with extensive information provided to fair visitors about the project, which promotes the translation, publication, and access to foreign readers of Azerbaijani literary works in various languages.
The fair also provides an opportunity to inform and invite representatives of publishing houses from various countries participating in the Bologna event at the internationally renowned International Book Fair, held in Baku every two years. The next edition of the Baku International Book Fair will take place from September 27-29, 2019.
