Pristina book fair brings together publishers, authors and readers from Kosovo and Albania
Publishers from Pristina, Tirana and Skopje presented their new titles at a fair that lasted several days in the centre of the capital.
PRISTINA — The Pristina book fair this week brought together publishers, authors and readers from Kosovo, Albania and the diaspora. Stands were set up in a central space in the capital, where over the opening days thousands of citizens, parents with children and schoolchildren paid a visit.
Publishers presented new titles of contemporary Albanian literature, translations of foreign authors and children’s books. The programme also included book launches, public readings and meetings with authors, held on a central stage within the fair’s premises.
According to organisers, the fair’s aim is to ease the circulation of Albanian-language books between Kosovo and Albania and to create opportunities for direct contact between publishers and readers.
Children’s literature in focus
One of the most visited sections of the fair was children’s books. Publishers stressed that demand for high-quality children’s books has been rising, while many parents are looking for healthy alternatives to the time their children spend on screens.
Workshops dedicated to schoolchildren were also part of the programme, where local authors and illustrators met with children in organised classes. Several schools from Pristina and the surrounding areas brought groups of pupils to take part in public readings.
Publishers said the fair remains the most important event of the year for Kosovo’s book sector and that its development is directly linked to public policies that support translation, publishing and reading in schools.
The fair closes at the weekend, while organisers have signalled that work is under way on a larger edition next year, expected to widen the presence of publishers from North Macedonia and Montenegro.
Source: Botasot (Culture) and organisers’ communications, with editorial adaptation by DPT.