Ten countries boast novelties in print

This exhibit, organized by the State Television and Radio Committee of Ukraine (Derzhkomteleradio) at the International Exhibit Center (15 Brovarsky prospekt, Livoberezhna Metro Station, Kyiv), boasts stands totaling more than 3,000 square meters, allowing Kyiv residents and guests to the Ukrainian capital to add to their home libraries copies of books put out by 169 publishing companies. Needless to say, Den/The Day also has its stand promoting its Library Series and photo exhibit.

Says Yurii PLAKSIUK, head of Derzhkomteleradio: “This year’s exhibit reaffirms its international status, considering the number of participants: 30 publishing companies from ten countries: Russia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Israel, South Korea, Cuba, Germany, Poland, Turkey and Hungary. This year’s exhibit also has a honorary participant, the Russian Federation. Its stand displays over five thousand book titles produced by Russia’s 30 major publishing companies.”

This four-day exhibit has a diversified entertainment program: over 100 projects including book launches, book-signing sessions, master classes, and roundtables.

The first day of the exhibit will be highlighted by the ceremony of conferring the Lesia Ukrainka and Ivan Franko prizes on the winners of the literary works in the children and Ukraine’s Best Book categories.

The second day of the exhibit will be dedicated to the guest of honor, Russia, and will include roundtables with Yevgeniy Grishovets, Grigoriy Oster, Liudmila Petrushevskaya, Zakhar Prilyepin, Eduard Uspensky, and Leonid Parfyonov. The Petrushka Theater will complement the Russian exhibit during the three days of the fair. (Petrushka, historically, is an itinerary Russian drama company known for its popular marketplace shows).

The third day of the exhibit will be Family Day, slated for children’s literary works, roundtables with authors of children’s books, and a variety of games and competitions. For the first time this year’s exhibit in Kyiv offers the special-guest status to two publishing companies that specialize in children’s literature: government-run Veselka and Hrani-T. There will be a special mailbox for children’s messages installed in the center of this hall. Anyone will be free to comment on the quality of books on display or write what kind of books s/he would like to see in print. All these messages will be carefully studied by an adult jury and the authors of the best messages will receive awards.

The fourth, final day will see the transfer of selected books to the libraries of children’s homes.

During this exhibit book-lovers will have an opportunity to rub elbows with noted Ukrainian authors like Maria Matios, Vasyl Shkliar, Hanna Chubach, Yarema Hoian, Danylo Yanevsky, Andrii Kurkov; with the young Ukrainian authors of the collection Decameron: 10 Ukrainian Prosaists of the Past Decade (Liubko Derek, Svitlana Povaliaiva, Sashko Ushkaly), renowned athletes Oleksandr Volkov, Iryna Deriuhyna, Anna Bessonova, Serhii Bubka, heroes of the books about Ukrainian sports published by Hrani-T, and take part in a number of book launches fraught with pleasant surprises.

There will be the launch of the Crimean Tatar tales, part of the Wonderland Series published by the public company Ukrainian Research Institute of Special Book-Printing, in collaboration with Ethnos Publishers. The organizers say the event will be a real show starring Jurmala New Wave 2009 winner Jamala.

New books will be launched, with the authors signing copies, and book-lovers communicating with their favorite writers, poets, and critics at the Derzhkomteleradio-run Literary Pavilion located in the center of the exhibit.

Noted actors will read excerpts from newly published and classical Ukrainian books. Audio disks with the unforgettable voices of Oles Honchar, Pavlo Tychyna, and Maksym Rylsky will be played, courtesy of Ukrtelefilm.

Last but no least: admittance is free; the exhibit will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.