16 – 17 January 2025, French Institute of Greece
BIEF (Bureau International de l’Edition Française), the French Institute of Greece and the Hellenic Foundation for Books and Culture (HFBC) joint forces to organize a professional workshop for publishers of literature, essays, social sciences and humanities books, which will take place in Athens, at the premises of the French Institute, on Thursday 16 and Friday 17 January 2025.
The two-day programme will include panel discussions and B2B meetings between Greek and French publishers participating in the event, with the aim of developing a meaningful and fruitful dialogue that will enhance literary and translation exchanges in the categories of fiction and non ficton-social and human sciences. The 1st workshop, which launched the tripartite collaboration, took place in June 2024 and was addressed to publishers of children’s and young adult’s books as well as comic books and graphic novels.
“Trends, data, the dynamics and problems of the publishing sector in Greece and France” is the topic of the two panels that will be attended by the participants: Pauline Kipfer, Flammarion Publications, and Panagiotis Soultanis, Crete University Press, will discuss the essay – Social Sciences and Humanities Sector, coordinated by Panagiotis Kapos, Vice-President of the Hellenic Foundation for Books and Culture (HFBC). Agnes Fruman, Albin Michel Publications, and Lisa Siola, Stereoma Publications, will discuss the literary sector, coordinated by journalist Lambrini Kouzelis.
The event will be introduced by Nicolas Eybalin, Counsellor for Cooperation and Educational Action at the French Embassy in Greece and Director of the French Institute, Nikos Bakounakis, President of the Hellenic Foundation for Books and Culture (HFBC) and Claire Mauguière, Project Manager – International Publishing Market Analyst (BIEF).
This workshop aims to offer French and Greek publishers the opportunity to get to know a foreign market in depth – the trends, the people involved, the general organization -, to discuss their activities and their readership, to develop deeper knowledge of the markets and to explore the possibilities of publishing cooperation. The workshop will take place in the welcoming premises of the French Institute (Sina 31), is free of charge and with simultaneous interpretation, and the participating professionals will be registered by open invitation.
More than 50 publishers from Greece and the following 25 from France are participating: Actes Sud, Albin Michel, Calmann-Lévy, le Cherche Midi, CNRS Editions, Denoël, éditions de l’EHESS, Emmanuelle Collas, La Fabrique, Flammarion, Editions du gros Caillou, Humensis, JC Lattès, Leduc, Libella, Mercure de France, Editions MF, P.O.L, Payot&Rivages, Perrin, Plon, Presses de la Cité, Le Seuil, Stock, La Table Ronde.
*BIEF (Bureau International de l’Edition Française)
BIEF is the professional organization for the promotion of French publishing abroad. Its members – around 300 French publishers – participate in activities such as international book fairs, the publication of bilingual catalogues and studies, a platform for targeted information for foreign publishers ((www.booksfromfrance.fr), professional events and international meetings.
