With a large turnout and a particularly strong youth presence this year, with packed halls and a significant international presence, the 22nd Thessaloniki International Book Fair at TIF -HELEXPO, confirming its status as one of the most important cultural institutions in the country and in Southeast Europe.

For four days, Thessaloniki was at the center of the book world and public discourse. Readers, authors, publishers, translators, book industry professionals, students, and families participated in an event that featured 500 activities, with 318 exhibitors and more than 30 foreign authors in attendance.

The exhibition was inaugurated by Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni in the presence of Bulgarian Deputy Minister of Culture Victor Stoyanov, while the Regional Governor of Central Macedonia, Athina Athanasiadou-Aidona, announced that the Region will continue to steadfastly support the organization of the Thessaloniki International Book Fair.

This year’s event further highlighted the hybrid nature of the Thessaloniki International Book Fair, combining its commercial, professional, and cultural dimensions with an expanded professional program and a multifaceted cultural program of events, discussions, and activities centered on books, reading, and contemporary forms of creativity.

“Generation of Readers / Book Creators”

The central theme of this year’s event was “Generation of Readers / Book Creators,” in connection with ELIVIP’s Year of Reading 2026–2027, as well as with the international discussion on the value of the joy of reading. The discussions and events focused on young people’s relationship with books, the changes brought about by artificial intelligence, social media, and technology in reading, as well as the importance of reading in an era of speed and constant information. Discussions about BookTok, new reader communities, and the way digital platforms now influence the dissemination of books and the creation of new readerships drew particular interest.

Strong international presence and professional program

The expanded professional program, held for the fourth consecutive year, played a pivotal role in this year’s event. Publishers, literary agents, translators, and book industry professionals from around the world participated in the events and contributed to the dialogue on the buying and selling of rights, translation funding tools, artificial intelligence, and new business models in the publishing world. Particular emphasis was placed on best international practices, as presented in a special session of the professional program titled “The Spanish Phenomenon,” as well as on examples of reading promotion presented by organizations, professionals, and researchers from Greece and abroad. More than 200 applications were submitted for the Thessaloniki International Book Fair’s fellowship program, and 20 participants were selected from major publishing organizations around the world. In addition, 10 book industry professionals were selected from the guest of honor country, Bulgaria, while the participation of many other book industry professionals further enhanced the international character of the Thessaloniki International Book Fair.

Bulgaria: Guest of Honor

The guest of honor at the 22nd Thessaloniki International Book Fair was Bulgaria, with the theme “Literature Beyond Borders.” Through a multifaceted program, the contemporary literary and publishing landscape of the neighboring country was presented; there was a steady and creative dialogue with Greek literature and its contemporary representatives; translators and illustrators were highlighted, while special mention was made of the international careers of authors such as Georgi Gospodinov (winner of the 2023 Booker Prize) and Rene Karabash, a nominee for the 2026 Booker Prize. Bulgaria’s presence served as a catalyst for a broader dialogue regarding the position of “smaller languages” in the international book market and the importance of cultural outreach.

Children, young people, and a love of reading take center stage

The children’s and teens’ corner held a special place in this year’s event, serving as one of the liveliest areas of the fair. More than 2,500 students participated in organized visits from 65 general and special schools of all levels, while thousands of children visited the fair with their families throughout the four-day event.

The 104 activities organized by 40 publishing houses and 17 educational and cultural organizations included workshops, book presentations, games, theatrical and music-movement events, as well as experiential activities centered on inclusion, diversity, and creative expression.

At the same time, this year’s event marked the launch of ELIVIP’s reading campaign “ “We Read,” which, in collaboration with book and reading organizations, will be developed throughout the year with the aim of promoting reading through activities that connect schools, libraries, authors, cultural organizations, and others.

An exhibition more open to the city

This year’s event has made an even stronger impact on the city of Thessaloniki through partnerships with organizations such as MOMus, the National Theater of Northern Greece, the Thessaloniki International Film Festival, the municipality and the Thessaloniki Central Municipal Library, as well as ERT, which, in addition to providing communications support and a radio studio at the exhibition venue, this year collaborated with the Thessaloniki International Book Fair to screen, in a special venue, rare programs—tributes to important Greek writers from its archives.

At the same time, a promotional campaign for the exhibition was carried out on hundreds of taxis throughout the city, while the organization’s presence was bolstered by an information kiosk at Thessaloniki Airport, with the support of Fraport Greece. The exhibition was also featured at OASTH bus stops.

The Open Library was once again set up at the entrance to Hall 15 of the Thessaloniki International Book Fair this year, an initiative to collect book donations from the public, both to reach future readers and to strengthen the library of YMCA.

The Thessaloniki International Book Fair’s social media channels became a lively platform for exchanging views and photos with the public through a series of posts, interactive quizzes, and mini-interviews, while the wall of Booth 14 was filled with colorful Post-it notes explaining what the word “I Read” means to each person, creating a sort of colorful guestbook for the 22nd Thessaloniki International Book Fair.

Furthermore, since music is inspired by books and books by music, the fair featured its own, enriched playlist.

Outlook

This year, particular emphasis was placed on the discussion regarding the future of the fair itself and its transformation into an organization with a year-round presence.

The Greek Book and Culture Foundation’s (ELIVIP) future plans include further internationalizing the Thessaloniki International Book Fair and strengthening Greece’s presence at major book fairs abroad, such as those in Bucharest, Sarajevo, Tirana, Belgrade, Sofia, and Istanbul.

At the same time, the website www.thessalonikibookfair.gr has already become the event’s permanent digital platform, ensuring that the exhibition’s content and activities are enriched and remain active throughout the year. As for TBF Connect,the new digital professional networking platform, which was used to facilitate communication among book industry professionals as part of this year’s Thessaloniki International Book Fair (TIBF) professional program, will remain active as a hub for communication, networking, and exchanging materials among authors, publishers, and industry professionals from Greece and abroad.

ELIVIP’s future plans also include the creation of the first international children’s and young adult book fair in Patras, with an emphasis on new forms of reading, digital communities, and young people’s relationship with books.

The goal is also to strengthen the high-quality international presence of Greek authors, as well as to develop more targeted outreach strategies for Greek publishing.

Future ways of shaping the exhibition landscape within the existing TIF Helexpo venues are being explored, as well as the expansion of the exhibition to include individual events and activities in suitable locations throughout the city, while this year saw the first pilot implementation of free admission tickets for the public.

The 22nd Thessaloniki International Book Fair concluded, leaving a strong cultural and social impact, confirming that the book is a vibrant space for meeting, dialogue, and creativity for Thessaloniki, Greece, and the international community.