Report from Sunday, final day of the 22nd TBF, May 10
On Sunday, people of all ages once again chose the 22nd TBF as a meeting point for storytelling, adventures, activities, games, readings, and dialogue. The fourth and final day of the fair, which drew thousands of visitors to every corner, hall, and event, kicked off with film screenings, workshops, and activities for children and parents focusing on empathy and our relationship with animals, as well as storytelling and interactive games involving words, images, and connections.
The interactive children’s event “The Golden Typewriter” took place with the participation of German author Carsten Henn, combining a mystery game with literature and imagination. The Gamecraft creative group invited children into a live adventure that evolved into a large-scale interactive mystery hunt, where children collaborated to solve riddles and advance the story. The author, supported by the Goethe-Institut Thessaloniki, also presented his book, “The Door-to-Door Bookstore”, to an adult audience.
At the Stand of the Guest of Honour, in collaboration with the Thessaloniki Storytelling Club, translator Vaitsa Chani-Moysidou spoke about Bulgarian myths and folk tales in translation. She noted that fairy tales serve to pique the reader’s interest, entertain them, and provide food for thought, adding that they offer the comfort we all need, regardless of our circumstances.
There was significant interest in the presentation of the book “Omar’s Letters to His Future Wife” (Metaichmio Publications) by Rene Karabash, held in the packed Dionysis Savvopoulos Presentation Hall with the support of the Ministry of Culture of Bulgaria. Karabash discussed her approach to writing, mentioning that both her new book and “She Who Remains” were written in a stream-of-consciousness style and with a poetic disposition. She emphasized that she writes primarily through images, “as if film frames are passing before my eyes”, describing the writing process as a cinematic experience.
The author, shortlisted for the 2026 International Booker Prize, also touched upon the deeply personal and emotional side of creation, linking writing to a creative energy that “gives life”, whether it leads to the birth of a book or a child. Furthermore, she revealed that the novel “She Who Remains” is set to be adapted for cinema and announced that she has had the imagery for her next novel in mind for four years. Regarding her characters, she noted that she does not view them as purely good or bad; every human hides both light and darkness within, and it is circumstances, experiences, and moments in life that determine which side surfaces.
The political journey and legacy of Yiannis Boutaris were the focus of the event “Yiannis Boutaris: Politics Differently”, featuring contributions from Evangelos Venizelos, Margaritis Schinas, and the author of the namesake book, Leonidas Makris.
Evangelos Venizelos reminded the audience that Boutaris’ first election coincided with the period following the first memorandum, while his second took place during the years of deep economic crisis. Nevertheless, he characterized Boutaris’ mayoral term as an oasis compared to the pressures of the central political scene, where decisions involved wage and pension cuts. “Yiannis Boutaris is now embedded in the city’s memory”, he stated. Margaritis Schinas noted that Boutaris “forced the city to confront its history”.
The internationally renowned Cuban poet Víctor Rodríguez Núñez presented his poetry anthology, published for the first time in Greece in a bilingual Spanish-Greek edition titled “Wild Algebra” (Irini Publications). The title serves as a poetic declaration, and the comparison between logic and chaos runs through the entire collection. The poet uses memory as an active force to reconstruct the identity of a Cuban living in America who is not American, and who lived through both revolution and exile. “I come from a country that talks a lot, so I will say nothing more. Poetry needs nothing more than poetry”, the poet himself remarked.
The Dionysis Savvopoulos Presentation Hall was filled with a loyal and enthusiastic audience for the event “Thanasis Triaridis: Writing for the Murdered Migrants of the Present” (Kapa Publishing). Thanasis Triaridis defended the work and themes of his plays, answering why he insists on writing works almost exclusively about the refugee and migrant crisis. “We cannot remain silent”, he noted. As he stated, “Those of us who loved books and grew up with them feel that the book is a piece, a ritual of our lives. We feel that through the printed pages, our sense of self expands and grows”.
Another beloved Northern Greek author met with his large audience in Thessaloniki: The relationship of Northern Greece with the Homeric world and the birth of a new literary universe were at the heart of the presentation of the book “Bronze Thresholds” by Isidoros Zourgos.
Meanwhile, Thessaloniki during the crisis, family relationships, and small urban stories of everyday life were discussed at the presentation of the new graphic novel by Mi Delta, “Polykatoikies” (Apartment Buildings), inspired by the song of the same name by LEX. The creator mentioned that the work includes many autobiographical elements linked to Thessaloniki and his frequent travels to the city. He explained that the spark was lit in 2014 when he lost a close person and visited Thessaloniki for the first time. “Since then, I have travelled to Thessaloniki hundreds of times”, he noted, explaining that during these journeys he kept notes and recorded images and incidents of the city, attempting to compose an urban psychological portrait of crisis-era Greece.
There was also a large turnout for the event featuring Rhea Galanaki and her book “The Cake”. “Whoever writes a text should strive to ensure their texts have roots,” she said. “They must have read both modern and ancient texts. The Greek language is hundreds of years old. We cannot use words arbitrarily”.
In the discussion “Perspectives on Reading Promotion in 21st Century Greece”, authors and board members of the Authors’ Network spoke about policies to promote reading. Marija Dejanovic, who lives in Larissa, emphasized that empirically, by expanding the audience, you expand the network, encouraging regional communities to engage with contemporary literature. “The true decentralization of literature brings something from the centre to the regional communities and strengthens the effort for participation, thereby strengthening democracy”, she said.
The crowds that flooded the fair participated actively and stayed until all events concluded late at night.
Meanwhile, on Sunday evening, within the atmospheric space of the Rotunda, the Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra joined forces with the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra for a moving closing concert of the 22nd Thessaloniki International Book Fair, organized by the Guest of Honour, Bulgaria. The concert was held with the support of the Ministries of Culture of both countries under the programme “Thessaloniki-Sofia: Balkan Bridge of Culture”.
Musicians from both orchestras presented a wonderful programme featuring works by Vladigerov, Skalkottas, Lambov, and Saint-Saëns, conducted by the internationally acclaimed violinist Svetlin Roussev. The historic violin used in the concert belongs to the Ministry of Culture of Bulgaria and is considered one of the most significant musical instruments in the world.
Photos from the Sunday, May 10 events are available HERE.
Information about the 22nd TBF can be found on the bilingual website https://www.thessalonikibookfair.gr/, which, as the social media managed by HFBC, is constantly updated and enriched.
The Thessaloniki International Book Fair (TBF) is organized by the Hellenic Foundation for Books and Culture (HFBC) in collaboration with TIF–HELEXPO, Greek publishers, and the Municipality of Thessaloniki, with the support of the Ministry of Culture and the Region of Central Macedonia. It is co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund, within the framework of the ROP Central Macedonia 2021-2027. TBF is a member of the International Book Fairs Forum and the European Book Fairs Network ALDUS UP.
