There is slightly less than a month till one of the largest cultural events in Belgrade – the Book Fair. The right time for the first, announcing Press Conference, held on Tuesday, September 27, in the Belgrade City Hall. Mr. Zeljko Ozegovic, President of the Belgrade Book Fair Council, Dr. Vladislava Gordic Petkovic, Program Editor of the Belgrade Book Fair, Mr. Marjan Marinkovic, Assistant Program Editor, as well as the Ambassadors of Brazil, Portugal and Angola, spoke about this greatest brand of Serbia and Belgrade, as confirmed by the research.

Under the slogan “Books Connect People”, the International Belgrade Book Fair is held for the 56th time and takes a day more than the previous years” one, on October 23 – 30. At the space slightly larger than 30 thousand square meters, 451 direct exhibitors and 362 co-exhibitors will feature to the book fans. The direct ones are mostly the local exhibitors, 422 of them, and 29 international ones, whereas among the co-exhibitors, 165 of them come from Serbia and 197 from various parts of the world.

Unlike the previous years, when the Guest of Honor of the Book Fair was one country, this year the Guest of Honor is literature of the eight Lusophone Countries. Portuguese language and literature will be featured by Angola, Brazil, Guinea - Bissau, Cape Verde, East Timor,
Mozambique, Portugal and São Tomé e Príncipe. This country group, arriving from four continents, participates under the motto “One Language, Many Cultures”. In addition to the literature, the representatives of these countries will feature comprehensively their culture and many artists will participate in the programs.

The Book Fair exhibiting concept is the same as in previous years – it will feature modern worldwide and local publishing productions, writer presentations, promotions and many events within an extensive side event program

The side event program includes also this year the presentation of culture and literature of the European Union countries – EUNIC, the Book Fair Forum with current interesting themes, chat and comics” workshops, librarian meetings, various exhibitions, featuring of publishers, i.e. authors and their works. An innovation are three Press Conferences, for which the organizers expect to raise great interest and special attention will be paid to foundations and endowments.

Prizes

The Book Fair will traditionally pronounce the Publisher of the Year, Publishing Project of the Year, Children”s Book, and the Dositej Obradovic Prize will be awarded, as well. An innovation at this year”s event is the estimation system, since the publishers automatically compete for the prizes by their participation in the event, without any special application.

The Open Book

The usual practice is going on, on the event last day; this year”s Guest of Honor will hand over the Open Book to the Guest of Honor representative for the next year 2012. This time, the Lusophone Countries representative will hand over the Open Book to the representative of Hungary.

The School Day

The Fair day devoted to the organized visits of pupils, teachers, students and professors is October 27 this year, a day for which the publishers prepare special programs.

The Family Day

At the 56th International Belgrade Book Fair, there are two Family Days for the first time – October 25 and 26, when the parents with children will be able to visit this event under special discounts. The family entry ticket price is RSD.600.00.

SERVICE INFORMATION

The Book Fair opening has been “appointed” for October 23 at 6.00 pm.
On that day the entry tickets cost RSD.100.00 and the gates will be opened at 3.00 pm. On the other days, all the time till October 30, the event opening hours are from 10.00 am to 9.00 pm. The entry ticket price remains unchanged for the third subsequent year – the single ones cost RSD.250.00 and the group visit ones RSD.150.00.