At the best of times, events like these, on the notional margins of publishing civilisation, go barely noticed, and how much more when they come at a time when all eyes are on the behemoth that is the Buchmesse.
Described as the largest international book fair in the region, the 10th Baku International Book Fair kicks off October 2-8 at the Baku Expo Centre.
At the best of times, events like these, on the notional margins of publishing civilisation, go barely noticed, and how much more when they come at a time when all eyes are on the behemoth that is the Buchmesse.
As ever, TNPS will try to shine a small light on the events that happen in Frankfurt’s shadow.
This year’s incarnation of the Baku IBF is dedicated to the 530th anniversary of the birth of the Azerbaijani poet and thinker Muhammad Fuzuli.
270 events will feature a rich program including (see sources below):
Workshops for both children and adults
Book presentations on inclusivity and other relevant topics
Autograph sessions with authors
Conferences, symposiums, and contests
Reading and music hours
Opportunities for cooperation among entities in the book industry
The latter events, such as they might be, indicate a steady progression from public-facing to a hybrid fair that will hopefully evolve to regular professional days, as we see in so many other emerging markets.
There are no figures available for past attendance and revenue that I can identify, but then, I flunked Azerbaijani at school. If anyone knows more, do share.
Check out here and here for more about the 2024 Baku IBF.
This post first appeared in the TNPS LinkedIn newsfeed.
