The Krakow Book Fair, organised this year for the eighteenth time and with Hungary as a special guest, starts on 23 October with an opening speech by István Íjgyártó, State Secretary for Cultural Diplomacy.
Hungary is once again the guest of honour at the Krakow Book Fair after 2002, which attracts thousands of visitors every year. Being one of the most prominent events regarding book trade in Poland, the fair provides Hungary with a unique opportunity for showcasing as it has not happened for decades that so many Hungarian-related books appear on the Polish market than this year and a number of those will be introduced at the venue.
For the first time, in 2014 the fair will be held at a new location complying with the highest standards and where visitors may be get to know, for example, a novel by Géza Ottlik (‘School at the Frontier’), a short story collection by Lajos Grendel (‘Leading Victim’), the newly published editions of works by Sándor Márai and a new translation of ‘The Tragedy of Man’ marking the 150th anniversary of the death of its author, Imre Madách as well.
The Krakow Book Fair will see the presentation of a number of Polish translations along with their authors, such as the short story collection ‘Pixel’ by Krisztina Tóth and the books ‘Turkish mirror’ by Viktor Horváth and ‘Abandoned confession – Poland in rain and light’ by Zoltán Móser. Hungary is featured significantly at the Conrad Festival too; one of the most important literary events held in the region and taking place at the same time as the Krakow Book Fair. Authors Ádám Bodor, György Dragomán and Viktor Horváth will be the Hungarian participants of the venue.
The presence of Hungary is commemorating two anniversaries as well; the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of World War I is remembered through the second edition of Ferenc Molnár’s book ‘Diary of a War Correspondent’ and the 75th anniversary of the reception of Polish refugees during World War II is commemorated by the organizers through the screening of a movie by Grzegorz Lubczyk.
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Hungarian music, film, gastronomy, tourism and wine culture also plays a role at this year’s fair and separate programs are awaiting children too. The event will also feature the Hungarian town Veszprém as a special guest city, presenting itself at the Fair not only through artistic albums, a Polish literary anthology, and the concert of the band ‘Vad Fruttik’ and exhibitions, but providing a quiz related to its presence in Krakow as well.
As 23 October is coinciding with the opening of the fair and the anniversary of the outbreak of the 1956 revolution, the commemoration of the national holiday will be held at the Krakow EXPO too.
Hungary’s guest of honour status at the Krakow Book Fair was organised by the Hungarian Embassy in Warsaw, the Consulate General of Hungary in Krakow and the Hungarian Cultural Institute in Warsaw, and realised through the efforts of the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Hungarian National Cultural Fund, the Publishing Hungary Programme and the Hungarian Art Academy.
(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade)
