The inaugural Minsk International Book Fair was held in January 1994 to forge ties between publishers and booksellers from the countries of the former Soviet Union. It featured more than 300 publishers and booksellers from eight former Soviet republics. The program of the fair included the founding meeting of the Belarusian Association of Book Publishers and Book Distributors (BelAKK).
Since its inception, the Minsk International Book Fair has been growing steadily. Over the years, it has had exhibitors from Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, China, Estonia, France, Germany, Iran, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, and other countries. Every year, the event features almost 300 exhibitors from over a dozen countries and attracts more than 40,000 visitors over four days.
The main organizers of the Minsk International Book Fair include the Ministry of Information, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Minsk Municipal Executive Committee, the Writers’ Union of Belarus, Belkniga (the country’s leading bookseller), and Makbel (one of the country’s leading publishers). The event is organized in partnership with the Belarusian Library Association.
In addition to the expo itself showcasing publishers from various countries, where attendees can buy new books in different languages with nice discounts, the program of the fair includes book presentations, special announcements from publishers, Q&As and book signings with Belarusian and foreign authors, public readings, quizzes, seminars, symposiums, discussions, networking events for publishers and booksellers, and other exciting events and activities for participants and attendees.
Since 2021, the program of the fair has included LitUP, a literary competition aimed to select novels by up-and-coming authors for future publication. Its main goals are to find exciting book projects and discover new names in Belarusian literature.
Like most international book fairs, each edition of the Minsk International Book Fair has a guest country that is featured prominently throughout the event. The guest country has its own stand and a program of events showcasing its literature and publishing industry. Guest countries that have been featured at the fair include Armenia, China, France, Germany, Israel, Kazakhstan, Russia, Serbia, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Venezuela.
The Minsk International Book Fair is held at the BelExpo National Exhibition Center, the largest exhibition space in Belarus situated in the very heart of the country’s capital, near the Independence Palace (the official residence of the president) and the State Flag Square.
Photo: Radio Svaboda
