Overview, 22nd Thessaloniki International Book Fair, May 7-10, 2026

With a large public turnout and a particularly strong youth presence this year, with packed halls and a significant international imprint, the 22nd Thessaloniki International Book Fair concluded on Sunday evening, May 10, 2026, at TIF-HELEXPO, confirming its status as one of the most important cultural institutions in the country and Southeast Europe. 

For four days, Thessaloniki was at the heart of the book world and public discourse. Readers, authors, publishers, translators, book professionals, students, and families participated in the fair, which featured 500 events, with the participation of 318 exhibitors and more than 30 foreign authors. 

TBF was officially inaugurated by Minister of Culture, Lina Mendoni, in the presence of the Deputy Minister of Culture of Bulgaria, Victor Stoyanov, while the Governor of Central Macedonia, Athina Athanasiadou-Aidona, announced that the Region will continue to steadily support the organization of TBF. 

This year’s edition further highlighted the hybrid nature of TBF, combining its commercial, professional, and cultural dimensions with an expanded professional programme and a diverse cultural programme of events, discussions, and actions focused on books, reading culture promotion, and modern forms of creation. 

“GeneReaders / Book Generators” 
The central theme of this year’s edition was “GeneReaders/ Book Generators”, in connection with HFBC’s 2026-2027 Year of Reading Culture, as well as the international discussion on the value of the joy of reading. Discussions and events focused on the relationship of young people with books, the changes brought by Artificial Intelligence, social media, and technology to reading, as well as the importance of reading promotion in an era of speed and constant information. Particular interest was drawn to discussions regarding BookTok, new reader communities, and the way digital platforms now influence the dissemination of books and the creation of a new reading audience. 

Strong International Presence and Professional Programme 
The expanded professional programme, held for the fourth consecutive year, played a pivotal role in this year’s edition. Publishers, literary agents, translators, and book professionals from all over the world participated in activities and contributed to the dialogue on the rights trade, translation funding tools, artificial intelligence, and new business models in the publishing world. Special emphasis was placed on international best practices, such as those presented in a special thematic section of the professional programme titled “The Spanish Phenomenon”, as well as examples of reading promotion presented by organizations, professionals, and researchers from Greece and abroad. More than 200 applications were submitted for the TBF fellowship programme, and 20 participants from major publishing organizations worldwide were selected. Additionally, 10 book professionals were selected from the Guest of Honour country, Bulgaria, while the participation of many more book professionals strengthened the international character of the TBF. 

Guest of Honour: Bulgaria 
The Guest of Honour for the 22nd TBF was Bulgaria, under the central slogan “Literature Beyond Borders”. The contemporary literary and publishing landscape of the neighbouring country was presented through a diverse programme, there was a continuous and creative dialogue with Greek literature and its modern representatives, translators and illustrators were highlighted, and special mention was made of the international trajectory of authors such as Georgi Gospodinov (winner of the 2023 International Booker Prize) and Rene Karabash, 2026 Booker nominee. Bulgaria’s presence served as an occasion for a broader dialogue regarding the position of “smaller languages” in the international book market and the importance of cultural extroversion. 

Children, Young Adults, and Reading Promotion at the Forefront 
The Children’s and Young Adult Corner held a prominent place in this year’s edition, proving to be one of the most vibrant parts of the fair. More than 2,500 students participated in organized visits from 65 general and special education schools of all levels, while thousands of children visited the fair with their families throughout the four-day event. 
The 104 activities organized by 40 publishing houses and 17 educational and cultural organizations included workshops, book presentations, games, theatrical and music-movement performances, as well as experiential activities focused on inclusion, diversity, and creative expression. 
Simultaneously, this year’s event marked the launch of HFBC’s reading culture promotion campaign “DiavaZOUME” (We Read/Live). In collaboration with book and reading organizations, this campaign will unfold throughout the year, aiming to strengthen reading habits through actions connecting schools, libraries, authors, and cultural institutions. 

A Fair More Open to the City 
This year’s edition established an even stronger imprint in the city of Thessaloniki through collaborations with institutions such as MOMus, the National Theatre of Northern Greece (NTNG), the Thessaloniki Film Festival, the Municipality and the Central Municipal Library of Thessaloniki, as well as ERT (Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation). In addition to communication support and its on-site radio studio, ERT collaborated with TBF to screen rare archival tributes to significant Greek writers in a specially designated area. 
Furthermore, a promotional campaign was run across hundreds of the city’s taxis, and the fair’s presence was bolstered by an information kiosk at Thessaloniki Airport with the contribution of Fraport Greece. The fair also maintained a presence at OASTH (Organization of Urban Transportation of Thessaloniki) bus stops. 
At the entrance of Pavilion 15, the Open Library operated once again, an initiative for book donations from the public to reach future readers and to support the YMCA library. 
The TBF social media channels became a live platform for exchanging views and photos with the audience through posts, interactive quizzes, and mini-interviews. Meanwhile, a wall in Pavilion 14 was covered in colourful post-it notes where visitors shared what the word “Reading” means to them, creating a vibrant guestbook for the 22nd TBF. Additionally, since music is inspired by books and vice versa, the fair featured its own enriched playlist for the second consecutive year. 

Future Perspectives 
Significant emphasis was given this year to the discussion regarding the future of the fair itself and its evolution into an organization with a steady presence throughout the year. 
Future plans of the Hellenic Foundation for Books and Culture (HFBC) include further internationalizing the TBF and strengthening the Greek presence at major international book fairs such as those in Bucharest, Sarajevo, Tirana, Belgrade, Sofia, and Istanbul. 
Also, the website www.thessalonikibookfair.gr has already been transformed into a permanent digital platform, ensuring that the fair’s material and activity remain active year-round. Moreover, TBF Connect, the new digital professional networking platform used during this year’s professional programme, will remain active as a point of contact, networking, and material exchange between authors, publishers, and professionals from Greece and abroad. 
HFBC’s future plans also include the creation of the first international children’s and young adult book fair in Patras, emphasizing new forms of reading, digital communities, and the relationship of youth with books. 
The goal is also to strengthen the high-quality international presence of Greek authors and to develop more targeted extroversion strategies for Greek publishing production. Future ways of shaping the exhibition landscape within the existing TIF-Helexpo premises are being examined, alongside the expansion of the fair to suitable city venues for specific events. This year also saw the first pilot implementation of free admission passes for the public. 
The 22nd Thessaloniki International Book Fair concluded, leaving a strong cultural and social mark, confirming that books are a vibrant space for dialogue, exchange and creation for Thessaloniki, Greece, and the international community. 

HFBC would like to thank the following for their support and valuable contribution to the seamless organization: the Ministry of Culture, the Region of Central Macedonia, TIF-HELEXPO, the Municipality of Thessaloniki, the exhibitors, publishing bodies, authors, translators, illustrators, and book professionals, reading clubs, the Guest of Honour team from Bulgaria, journalists and media outlets, the Board and staff of HFBC, the fair’s contributors, collaborating cultural and educational institutions from Greece and abroad, and, of course, the public for their enduring love and support. 

Photos of the 22nd TBF are available HERE. Event photos are also available on the motionteam.gr platform. 

Information on the 22nd TBF is available on the event’s bilingual website, https://www.thessalonikibookfair.gr/, which, as the social media channels (fb / Instagram) managed by HFBC, is constantly updated and enriched. On YouTube, you will find videos of events from the professional programme held in the Dialogos Presentation Hall. 
You can also visit the HFBC website, www.elivip.gr, to stay informed about news, actions, initiatives, events, and research material. 

IMPLEMENTING BODY: HELLENIC FOUNDATION FOR BOOKS AND CULTURE 

22nd TBF MANAGEMENT and PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMME DESIGN: 

Nikos Bakounakis, HFBC President 

Panagiotis Kapos, HFBC Vice-President 

TEAM MEMBERS: 

TBF Project Manager Fenia Rougkouni 

COMMUNICATION AND PUBLICATIONS 

Head of Communication and Development Kassiani Benou 

Head of Publications Despina Papagiannopoulou 

TBF Press and Communication Officer Anna Routsi 

Social Media Manager Fotis Maragkos 

PROGRAMME  

Coordinator for TBF’s Guest of Honour Country and Professional Programme Support Kelly Dimopoulou  

Editor and Proofreader of TBF’s Special Publications and Programmes Vaios Ntafos 

Coordinator of the Children’s & Young Adult Corner – Reading Culture Promotion Activities Eve Gerokosta 

Translator of Special Publications, Information, and Promotional Material Vasia Tzanakari 

Fellowship Programme Coordinator Nopi Chatzigeorgiou 

ORGANIZATION & OPERATION 

TBF’s Operation Support (Floor Manager) Olga Kariki  

TBF Hospitality Coordinator Afroditi Piperidi 

ADMINISTRATIVE & SUPPORT SERVICES  

Head of Finance Sofronis Paradisopoulos  

Press Office Nikos Arapian 

President’s Secretariat Elisavet Fakiri 

Legal Advisor Georgia Drampeli 

IT Manager Ilias Konstantinos Lazaridis 

Graphic Design Iliana Siarga 

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.