Burgas presented at the prestigious Frankfurt Book Fair one of its most significant events in recent years - the International Literary Festival of the Black Sea Region. In the lively atmosphere of the fair, among thousands of exhibits and against the background of the buzz of numerous visitors, the content and main messages of the festival, related to Burgas's candidacy for European Capital of Culture, were presented. Deputy Mayor Diana Savateva, Executive Director of the „Burgas 2032“ Foundation Ruska Boyadzhieva, as well as Svetlozar Zhelyazkov, artistic director of the Black Sea festival, introduced the audience to the details of the upcoming literary event.
"We cannot imagine a successful candidacy without impactful poetry and fiction, without quality book publishing. Therefore, we very much hope for the active participation of the writing communities in Bulgaria, as well as the support of authors from the Black Sea region and from other European countries who have visited our city and presented their work", said Diana Savateva. Convinced that the moment is coming for the city and the region, which represents the southeastern border of the European Union, to establish itself not as a periphery, but as a gateway to new opportunities, she added. The Deputy Mayor's speech was received with interest by those present, many of whom visibly appreciated the strategic importance of the project.
Impressions of Burgas as a literary city and of the festival, which already has two editions, were also shared by Olena Odinoka, Deputy Director of the Ukrainian Book Institute, Alexandru Popescu from the Romanian Ministry of Culture, and Mehmet Demirtas from the Turkish publishing house „Kalem“, the largest literary agency in Turkey. Their words sparked excitement and positive feedback among the audience, which showed a marked interest in the city's cultural initiatives.
The delegation from Burgas took part in the opening ceremony of the Bulgarian stand at the fair. They had the opportunity to hold a number of talks with representatives of publishing houses and authors. In the lively atmosphere of the fair, numerous meetings and discussions took place, which confirmed the importance of the event for strengthening cultural ties.
The Frankfurt Book Fair is a leading global forum for book publishing, which annually brings together over 2,000 exhibitors and more than 36,000 professionals from all over the world. The atmosphere of the fair, filled with noise and dynamics, brings together professionals from all over the world, demonstrating its key role in the global literary scene.