Thessaloniki Book Fair

Thessaloniki
International Book Fair

Unique in its category in the Greek region, TBF was inaugurated in May 2004 with the aim of putting Greece on the map of international book fairs.

It soon became a major hub for cultural and commercial exchanges between Europe, the Balkans, the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Today, it is one of the country’s most important cultural institutions, enjoying international recognition.

The Fair is a landmark not only for the city of Thessaloniki, but also internationally. Every year it is enriched and expanded in terms of themes, venues, programmes and guests from all over the world, responding to challenges and new trends. In addition to hosting events in the publishing world, TBF collaborates with institutions, organizations, embassies, educational institutes, co-organizing festivals, competitions, awards, thematic tributes, round tables, etc. within the framework of the fair. Among them are the Festival of Young Writers, the Translation Festival or the Young Book Designers Award. It also provides a platform to networks, such as the Reading Club Network, which was created and coordinated by the Hellenic Foundation for Book and Culture, to develop synergies and present their work within the framework of the Fair.

Since 2023, TBF has developed a great initiative by introducing the professional programme to the organization. In the two years 2023-2024, approximately 60 renowned literary agents from countries very important for the book market came to Thessaloniki, got to know the Greek publishing landscape and its representatives and laid the foundations for international collaborations. The programme is very dynamic and is constantly expanding, while at the same time it is also a pole of attraction for many more European and international institutions that choose TBF for their work and forums.

The Thessaloniki International Book Fair is organized by the Hellenic Foundation for Books and Culture in collaboration with the TIF-HELEXPO, the Greek publishers and the Municipality of Thessaloniki, with the support of the Ministry of Culture and the Region of Central Macedonia. It is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund, as part of the Central Macedonia Regional Operational Programme 2021-2027. TBH is a member of the International Book Fairs Forum and the European Book Fairs Network ALDUS UP.

21st Thessaloniki International Book Fair

For the first time, Italy will be the Guest of Honour country at the Thessaloniki International Book Fair (TBF), which is organised by the Hellenic Foundation for Books and Culture (HFBC) and will take place from 8 to 11 May 2025, at the TIF – Helexpo exhibition area. The Italian participation is made possible thanks to the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Embassy of Italy in Athens and the Italian Cultural Institute of Athens, the Ministry of Culture with the Book and Reading Centre, the ITA-Italian Trade Agency responsible for the promotion abroad and the internationalisation of Italian companies, and the cooperation of the Italian Publishers Association. The cooperation agreement was signed by Mr. Nikos Bakounakis, president of the Hellenic Foundation for Books and Culture, Mr. Francesco Neri, director of the Italian Cultural Institute of Athens, Francesco Neri, and Fabrizio Camastra, director of ITA- Italian Trade Agency Athens.

Snapshot of the signing of the cooperation agreement (from left to right): Fabrizio Camastra, Director of ITA-Italian Trade Agency Athens, Nikos Bakounakis, President of the Hellenic Foundation for Books and Culture, Francesco Neri, Director of the Italian Cultural Institute of Athens.

The President of the Hellenic Foundation for Books and Culture, Mr Bakounakis, commented on this important cooperation which opens new perspectives in the field of cultural relations and, in particular, publishing exchanges between the two countries:

“Italy is the Guest of Honour at the 21st Thessaloniki International Book Fair and this makes me particularly happy. Italy is Europe’s fourth largest publishing market, with a turnover of €3 billion 439 million in 2023, a dynamic literary scene with wonderful authors, many of whom we will see in Thessaloniki, a major force in children’s book publishing, reflected in the Bologna Fair, the most important children’s book fair in the world, and of course a great tradition of authors and books that have left their indelible mark on our reading tastes and reading attitudes. There is also a significant increase, from 84 titles in 2019 to 122 in 2023, in translations of Italian literary works into Greek. I believe that this potential will become more than evident at the 21st Thessaloniki Book Fair and across the city, through parallel events. The 21st Thessaloniki Book Fair is the first to be organized by the new Hellenic Foundation for Books and Culture and the presence of Italy is particularly important for us, not only because of the quality and range of its literary production but also because books in Italy are key to understanding how this Mediterranean society is changing. I would like to thank the Italian Cultural Institute, the Italian Trade Agency and, of course, the Associazione Italiana Editori for their close cooperation, which guarantees a creative and imaginative ‘Italy, Guest of Honour country’ in Thessaloniki from 8 to 11 May 2025″.

On his part, the Ambassador of Italy to Greece, Mr. Paolo Cuculi, noted:

“The participation of Italy as the Guest of Honour country at the Thessaloniki International Book Fair is a source of great satisfaction and an important opportunity to further strengthen the already solid and fruitful cultural relations between Italy and Greece. Italian publishing is well known and established in Greece, as evidenced by the significant number of Italian books translated into Greek every year, thanks also to the support of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
The presence of great Italian authors in Thessaloniki in May will allow the Greek public to meet some of the most important figures of contemporary Italian literature and discover their works. At the same time, the participation of major Italian publishers will encourage contacts and collaborations with Greek publishers, which I am sure will prove to be particularly fruitful in view of the innovations and challenges that technological development poses and that the sector will have to face in the coming years”.