54^th Belgrade International Book Fair

The Time Period: From October 26 to November 1, 2009

Topic of the Book Fair: A Sea of Books

Opening of the Book Fair: The Fair was opened by the writer Dragan Velikić, one of the most prominent contemporary Serbian authors.

In the name of the country the guest of honor opening of the Fair was addressed by the Greek writer and academician Thanasis Valtinos.

The country guest of honor: Greece. Apart from the stand at which the contemporary Greek literature and publishing were presented with the participation of thirteen Greek writers, Greece prepared a rich program of 50 events, exhibition of the comic strip artist Arcas and Greek illustrators, shows of the documentary film from the series "Travelling around Greece" and "Greek Monasteries" and workshops for children.

Publishers at the Book Fair: Over 800 publishers from the country and abroad participated at the 54^th Belgrade International Book Fair. The publishers presented themselves at the stands in halls 1, 2, 2a, and 4 of the Belgrade Fair, on an area of 31,055 square meters.

Publishers from abroad: In addition to Greece as the country guest of honor, the publishers from Sweden, Japan, Canada, China, Russia, France, Germany, Italy, Austria, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Israel, Brazil, Iran, Angola, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Croatia, B&H, the Republic of Srpska, and Montenegro also participated at this year’s Book Fair.

Guests from abroad: Ala Tatarenko, Ewa Lipska, Gabriela Museti, Jamie Delano, Vlaho Bogišić, Miljenko Jergović, Igor Mandić, Sesar Antonio Molina, as well as Greek writers: Thanasis Valtinos, Christos Yannaras, Takis Theodoropulos, Nasos Vayenas, Dimitris Nollas, Kostas Asimakopulos, Elena Huziri, Maria Laina, Dimitris Mingas, Nikos Panagiotopulos, Alexis Stamatis, Hara Janakopulu, and Vaso Psaraki.

EUNIC: The cultural centers from the countries of the European Union in Belgrade had a joint appearance at the 54^th Belgrade International Book Fair: the Hellenic Foundation for Culture, the Austrian Cultural Forum, the French Cultural Center, Goethe Institute, Institute Cervantes, and the Italian Cultural Center. Within EUNIC appearance, several lectures were delivered, presentations of books and authors, movie shows, concerts, and quiz shows for the visitors of the Book Fair were organized.

Programs organized by the Belgrade Book Fair: this year as well, five Book Fair For a were organized on the issues of professional publishing in Serbia; six discussions within the Chatting Forum with renowned writers from the country and abroad on the topic Images from the Neighborhood (Ala Tatarenko, Laslo Vegel, Igor Mandić, Miljenko Jergović, Vlaho Bogišić, Sesar Antonio Molina), five discussions within the Chatting Forum with renowned writers on the topic Images of Serbia (Vida Ognjenović, Vladislav Bajac, Vladimir Arsenijević, Mirjana Novaković, Igor Marojević), three presentations of the guests of the Book Fair through the Poetry and Environs (Ewa Lipska, Dragomir Brajković, Gabriela Museti), four thematic discussions on the topics Between Two Fairs, eight Comic Strip Workshops, the Fifth Annual Gathering of Librarians and Publishers of Serbia, five exhibitions (Georgian Manuscripts, Todor Manojlović – Citizen of the World, Aphorism and Illustration, Cyrillic Culture, and Days of The Cyrillic Alphabet).

Awards of the Belgrade International Book Faire:

• Publisher of the Year – ARHIPELAG and KREATIVNI CENTAR from Belgrade
• Publishing Undertaking of the Year – KRUŠEDOL MONASTERY by Miroslav Timotijević published by "Draganić" from Belgrade and the Provincial Institute for Protection of Cultural Monuments.
• Children’s Book – SPYOLOGY published by "Mono Manjana" and edition PROSE TRAVELS, by the publisher "Odiseja" from Belgrade.
• Special Acknowledgement – ARKA from Smederevo for "Trajnik" – anthology of poetry of the poets of national minorities and ethnic communities.

"Dositej Obradović" Award: Annual award to a foreign publisher continuously contributing to the publishing and promotion of Serbian literature. It was presented to the Hungarian publisher JELENKOR from Pecuj.

School Day: October 29, 2009. The day of the Fair visited by several thousand of pupils, students, and teachers/professors in organized groups.

Open Book: On the last day of the Book Fair the Ambassador of Greece, the country guest of honor of the 54^th Belgrade International Book Fair, Dimostenis Stoidis, ceremoniously handed over the Open Book to the Ambassador of Sweden, the country guest of honor of the 55th Belgrade International Book Fair, NILS KRISTER BRINGEUS.