In October 2023, Slovenia will be the guest of honour at the Frankfurt Book Fair, the most important book fair of its kind in the world. With 6,400 journalists a year, 60% of whom mention the guest country in their articles, it is one of the most media-exposed events in Slovenia's history and the biggest ever presentation of Slovenian culture abroad. Around 70 Slovenian authors will be present at the fair. The accompanying programme will feature a performance by Laibach with their project Alamut.
Preparations for Slovenia's appearance at the FKS 2023 are already very intense and going very well
The authors that Slovenia will present as Guest of Honour at this year's Frankfurt Book Fair (FKS) will be announced on 15 June, and preparations for Slovenia's appearance at the FKS 2023 are already very intense and going very well.
In addition to the very varied events on the fairground itself, Slovenia's appearance is expected to take place at other locations in the city. In addition, at the request of the Frankfurt libraries, a programme with Slovenian children's authors will be organised in more than ten libraries there, so that the FKS will also be a prelude to the children's and young people's literature book fair in Bologna next year, where Slovenia will also be a guest of honour.
The curator of the Slovenian programme at FKS 2023, Miha Kovač, gave a brief introduction to Slovenia and its publishing activities at the presentation of Slovenia's honourary guest project at FKS 2023 to German journalists, which took place at the Ministry of Culture.
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Presentation of the programme of the Slovenian participation at the Frankfurt Book Fair, which was also addressed by the Minister of Culture, Asta Vrečko, and the Acting Director of the Slovenian Book Agency, Katja Stergar. Photo: Anže Malovrh/STA
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Curator of the Slovenian programme at FKS 2023 Miha Kovač. Photo: Anže Malovrh/STA
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In her opening speech, Minister of Culture Asta Vrečko expressed her conviction that Slovenia's participation in the FKS 2023 will be "as successful as possible". Photo: Anže Malovrh/STA
Brane Mozetič and Goran Vojnović
The authors Brane Mozetič and Goran Vojnović also introduced themselves to the German journalists. Mozetič is considered one of the most translated Slovenian poets, and his numerous works, including more than 15 books of poetry, short prose, novels and children's books, have been translated into German. As he said, everything is connected in his work and his work, and he has a personal connection to the social and political and his activism for the rights of the LGBT community.
Writer, filmmaker and columnist Vojnović introduced himself as a representative of the younger generation, saying, among other things, that his literature is actually a human interrogation of how his almost idyllic world of his upper childhood was shattered in such a bloody and brutal way by the Balkan wars of the 1990s. Four of his works have so far been translated into German, most recently the novel Đorđić Returns.
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Brane Mozetič is considered one of the most translated Slovenian poets, and his numerous works - he is the author of more than 15 books of poetry, short prose, novels and children's books - have been translated into German. Photo: Nebojša Tejić/STA
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German journalists were also introduced to the writer and director Goran Vojnović. Photo: Tamino Petelinšek/STA
Language diversity
In her opening speech, Minister of Culture Asta Vrečko expressed her conviction that Slovenia's participation in the FKS 2023 will be "as successful as possible".
Slovenia's appearance at the fair, she said, is also a special honour and opportunity for those languages that are spoken by a small number of people, but Europe, she said, has always strived to preserve linguistic diversity.
Developing thought in one's own language, she added, also means being heard and contributing to diversity and equal participation in the development of European and world thought. "This is how bridges are created, which are essential for a common European future, and how we are linked by a common culture and art," she added.
Date: 30. March 2023
Time to read: 2 min
