Almost 35,000 people visited this year’s jubilee edition of the Book Fair in Krakow.
For years Krakow’s Book Fair has been the largest event of the publishing industry in Poland. This year’s fair attracted a record number of visitors. On Saturday, the third day of the fair, the queue at the entrance was hundreds of meters long. The large number of visitors was the result of the expanded programme of the jubilee edition of the fair, and the wonderful, sunny weather throughout its four days.

 

- Kraków is, in a way, the natural choice for the Book Fair. After all, this is where the first Polish publishing and print houses and bookshops were founded - said Mr Jacek Majchrowski, the Mayor of Krakow, at the opening ceremony.

 

 


Over 500 Publishers, Over 400 Authors

It is for these that our readers came to visit the fair, which was attended by such well known writers as Marlena de Blasi, Jacek Dukaj, prof. Michał Heller, Julia Hartwig, Roma Ligocka, Graham Masterton and Andrzej Pilipiuk.

“I go to fairs all over the world, but Krakow is a very special place. People who come and visit the fair are much more passionate about it than anywhere else. The atmosphere is very special. Please don’t mention this anywhere in America but this is my favourite book fair and I couldn’t wait to come here” said Marlena de Blasi on Sunday.          


Prof. Świda-Ziemba awarded the Jan Długosz Prize
One of the most important events of the first day of the Book Fair was the handing over of the Jan Długosz prize of 30, 000 PLN, funded by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, Bogdan Zdrojewski and Targi w Krakowie, and a Statuette sculpted by Bronisław Chromy to prof. Hanna Świda-Ziemba. It is her book Młodzież PRL. Portrety pokoleń w kontekście historii [The Youth of PRL. Portrait of Generations in the Historic Context] published by Wydawnictwo Literackie, Kraków 2010 that was considered the best by the competition jury. The ceremony took place in the J. Słowacki Theatre at the award gala, on the evening of the 3rd of November.

Miłosz at Midday
On Saturday at noon a crowd of people gathered at one of the exhibition halls and read aloud a poem by Czesław Miłosz, “Ale Książki”. Thousands visitors followed the signal given by Piotr Kraśko, who chaired the event, to read the text by the Polish Nobel Prize winner together, in order to mark the Year of Miłosz at the Krakow Book Fair.


The Goncourts List. The Polish Choice
Sorji Chalandon became the laureate of the 14th season of the Goncourts’ List Prize for his book Retour a Killybegs [Return to Killybegs]. The competition, organised by the French Institute in Krakow, has accompanied the Krakow Book Fair from its very beginning, thanks to the support of the Goncourt’s Academy. The jurors are selected from among the students of French Philology at a number of  Polish universities.

The 16th season of Krakow Book Fair will take place next year, on 25-28 October 2012. 
 

Salon of the Regions – Silesia
The idea for the Salon came from the need to promote regional cultures, languages and literatures by promoting well known authors and promising new talents. This year’s premiere guest of the Salon of Regions was Silesia. The event was accompanied throughout by various features relating to Silesian culture, from photographs and exhibitions, through numerous meetings and discussions, all the way to presentations of Silesian cuisine – all of which attracted a lot of interest. The programme was co-created by two popular institutions – The Silesian Library and The Silesian Museum. 

A number of publishing competitions were also settled during the Book Fair.
 


- I am so happy that we have been visited by so many people. I am very happy  about the atmosphere of real literary celebration which Kraków has enjoyed throughout these days. I hope that there will be as many of us meeting together next year, which promises to be exceptionally rewarding for book lovers. In  June 2012, we will celebrate the Children’s  Book Fair, in September the Historic Book Fair and, the last at this location, Book Fair in Kraków - said Ms. Grażyna Grabowska, the President of Targi w Krakowie.