Time for Cyprus books to inspire

A new fair in Limassol will see books at the centre of events for three days. ELENI PHILIPPOU finds out how organisers are hoping to put the island on the publishing map

 The world of books is a captivating place, and there is certainly more than meets the eye in the writing and publishing industry than what we see on bookshelves. Here to take professionals and readers on a deep dive into the book market is the first Limassol Book Fair. A conference, a series of presentations, a fair and an array of activities aim to elevate the status of the local book industry and reignite the love for books.

“At Limassol Book Fair,” co-founder Anna Ioannidou said, “we are investing in building a network that shares a relentless passion in mapping insights on how books and content in general, are continuously shaping the culture and the community in which we live.

“We feel delighted to initiate Limassol Book Fair,” she added, “the first Book Fair that has ever been organised on our island, and we are at the same time excited to see that both book professionals as well as book lovers from Cyprus, Greece and not only, have already expressed their interest to join. We chose Limassol because we strongly believe in the potential the city has both business as well as culture-wise.”

With an international professional conference opening the fair on November 25 and another two full days of activities, the fair will act as a meeting point for book industry professionals, publishers, booksellers, municipalities, cultural institutions, authors, artists, children, adults, and book lovers. Unifying all these communities falls under the fair’s 2022 theme – Bridges.

“We aim at bridging the gap that we feel exists between society in general and the world of books,” said the organisers. “As a people, we do not read as much as we should, yet no one disputes the value of books and education. Bridges represents the creation of a pathway between written content and its audience, in a way unhindered by algorithms and trends. Bridges represents the freedom of choice we still have in the way we entertain ourselves.” In addition, the theme also represents the organisers’ goals to place Cyprus on the regional map for professionals to share literature and cultural ideas, and industry issues.

On stage during the first day’s conference will be several keynote speakers including world-renowned publishing consultant Carlo Carrenho, Hanife Içten of the Frankfurt Book Fair, Nopi Hatzigeorgiou of the Hellenic Foundation for Culture and Thessaloniki Book Fair as well as publishers and book sellers from Greece and Cyprus.

“It’s a conference designed by seasoned industry professionals for industry professionals. And registrations so far indicate that it will be the place-to-be for every book professional on the island,” said the conference curator, Michalis Kalamaras. Putting Cyprus books on the international publishing map and identifying the local book market’s challenges are some of the topics the conference will touch on.

Throughout the weekend, a large book fair will enchant bibliophiles with thousands of fascinating titles from over 40 book vendors from Cyprus, Greece and the world. A thorough programme of discussions on local literature issues, talks with award-winning authors, poetry readings and entertainment is also scheduled for all three stages of the fair.

Bringing together industry professionals and book lovers and boosting the island’s book market is part of the mission of the Limassol Book Fair. In addition to the three-day event, however, the organisers will continue their efforts by planning several smaller events throughout the year focusing on specialised issues.

“The Cyprus book market,” commented fellow co-founder Haris Ioannides “is well established in size and scope and even though it would be great if we could increase readership levels, what excites us most is the potential of the local book publishing industry. We feel that given the right incentives, training, and government schemes, local book production can shine and become truly competitive at an international level, especially given translation opportunities and other such exchange programmes.

“It is crucial to remember that the book market extends far beyond the physical object with which we tend to associate it,” he concluded. “We should view books as content reservoirs from where one can draw inspiration. Books help generate a vast amount of other entertainment opportunities and fuel many more industries. Books get turned into e-books, audiobooks, movies, games, tv shows, sites, and music. Books inspire. It’s time we see Cyprus books inspire!”

Limassol Book Fair

First edition of book fair with events for professionals and the general public. November 25-27. Carob Mills, Limassol. www.limassolbookfair.com