11:30–12:00
Professional Programme - Fellowship
The 4th International Professional Program of the 22nd Thessaloniki International Book Fair brings together publishers, authors, literary agents, translators, representatives of organizations involved in the promotion of reading from all over the world and publishing professionals from all over the world, with the aim of exchanging ideas, creating partnerships and exploring new opportunities in the global publishing landscape.
It is organized in the DIALOGOS Hall (Pavilion 15, HELEXPO Exhibition Center). This year, 40 participants from around the world (USA, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Armenia, Czech Republic, Germany, Slovenia, Egypt, Poland, Sweden, Turkey and of course Bulgaria, as an honored country) will contribute with their ideas and knowledge in the field of buying and selling rights, Artificial Intelligence, the development of Philanthropy, translation projects.
Designed for professionals in the field, the International Professional Program offers a platform for dialogue, knowledge exchange and meaningful connections that enhance cross-border collaboration and support the global circulation of books and ideas.
Explore the sections and discover the events that interest you.
Thursday 7 May 2026
9 events
11:30–12:00
12:00–13:00
12:00–13:00The Greek Book Market Today
13:00–14:00
13:00–14:00Overview of the Bulgarian publishing market: facts, figures, funding opportunities, and institutional support
14:00–15:00
14:00–15:00Children’s Books: trends, reading culture promotion, and opportunities for international collaborations
Zornitsa Hristova, Editor-in-Chief, Tochitza Publications; Dessislava Grozdanova, Editor-in-Chief, Fox Books Publications
15:00–16:00
15:00–16:00Buying and selling rights: literary agents and international trends
16:00–17:00
16:00–17:00The Spanish Phenomenon
José Manuel Anta, CEO of the Spanish Federation of Book Publishers; Phaedon Kidoniatis, Publisher (Eurasia Publications), Vice-President of the Federation of European Publishers (FEP)
17:00–18:00
17:00–18:00The Second Life of Books: Re-narrating the Past
Andreas Tsiliras, Cultural Manager and Publisher; Vassilis Gatos, Director of Research, Institute of Informatics & Telecommunications, NCSR Demokritos; Katerina Christopoulou, Co-founder, AI4doc
18:00–19:00
18:00–19:00How can literature written in smaller or less widely spoken languages reach an international audience?
19:00–20:00
19:00–20:00Buying and selling rights across languages, countries, and cultures
Friday 8 May 2026
11 events
11:00–12:00
11:00–12:00The Creative Europe Programme in the Greek Book Market: Publishers and authors from Greece, Slovenia and Sweden discuss their experience
12:00–13:00
12:00–13:00Artificial Intelligence: Research, and Development
13:00–14:00
13:00–14:00Challenges and New Legislations, Freedom of Expression
14:00–15:00
14:00–15:00Artificial Intelligence and Translation Rights To and From “Smaller” Languages
15:00–16:00
15:00–16:00Research and Reading Culture Promotion Tactics in Germany and Slovenia
Lisa Keil, Project Lead
16:00–17:00
16:00–17:00Bulgarian Literature in Greek: Challenges, Opportunities, and Strategies
17:00–18:00
17:00–18:00Translation Funding Tools
Jesús González González, Deputy Director General for the Promotion of Books, Reading, and Spanish Literature
18:00–19:00
18:00–19:00A Book in Every Home, Every School, Every Library
18:00–20:00
18:00–20:00Do infants and toddlers need books?
Speakers: Maria Bouri, Pediatrician; Sissy Tsiflidou, Educator; Ava Chalkiadaki, Reading Policy Researcher, President of Diavazontas Megalono
19:00–20:00
19:00–20:00Can the BookTok community build a loyal readership?
20:00–21:00
20:00–21:00Artificial Intelligence and applied publishing practices
Saturday 9 May 2026
8 events
11:00–12:00
11:00–12:00Why Children’s Books are a Serious Business
Vangelis Iliopoulos, President of Greek IBBY, Author, Educator; Panos Christodoulou, Director of the Network for Children's Rights; Vasiliki Nika, Faculty Member, Laboratory Teaching Staff, Department of Primary Education – University of Athens, Translator; Grigoris Abatzoglou, Child Psychiatrist, Professor Emeritus of Child Psychiatry – Aristotle University of Thessaloniki; Elena Pataki, Publisher (Patakis Publications)
12:00–13:00
12:00–13:00Picturebooks in Children’s Literature
13:00–14:00
13:00–14:00Regional Bookstores: Cultural Hubs
14:00–15:00
14:00–15:00EUPL / European Union Prize for Literature & Translation
15:00–16:00
15:00–16:00Sports, Cinema, Music: Gateways to Reading
16:00–17:00
16:00–17:00Buying and selling children’s rights: illustration, copyright, and licensing
17:00–18:00
17:00–18:00Investing in reading; successful reading promotion initiatives by EURead members in Bulgaria, Sweden and Greece
Valentina Stoeva (Reading Foundation, Bulgaria), Lovisa Fhager Logothetis (Bonnier Family Foundation, Sweden), and Ava Chalkiadaki (Diavazontas Megalono, Greece)17:00–18:00What is Ex Libris? – History and Modern Applications – The Book as an Object of Memory and Personal Identity
Angeliki Bozou, Artist & Illustrator; Eleni Tsaldiri, Artist & Author; Lela Stroutsi, Illustrator & Author, Board Member of Greek IBBY
Sunday 10 May 2026
1 event
13:00–14:00
13:00–14:00“Libraries for Children! Why Today?’’
Irini Vokotopoulou (Velvendo Library), Petroula Voltsi (Library of Karabournaki, Kalamaria), Elena Korovila (Journalist, Book Press)
Fellows
Meet the publishing professionals participating in the TBF Fellowship 2026 Program, coming from all over the book world.
