Norway is the Guest of Honour at the Book Fair in Warsaw
Norway is the Guest of Honour at the Book Fair in Warsaw, 26 –29 May 2022 and today the program was launched during the fair’s press conference in Warsaw.
The Book Fair is a good opportunity to present the breadth of Norwegian literature for the Polish book market. Here, 30 authors from Norway will meet their Polish readers.
Poland has become an important market for Norwegian literature and there is great interest in everything from crime and Nordic noir to children’s literature and comics. Polish literature also resonates in Norway. The guest country project emphasizes the common interest between our cultures and languages.
“I am thrilled that Norway will be the Guest of Honour at this year’s Book Fair in Warsaw. Great literature can move us, provoke us and make us see all that we have in common, something we need more than ever as we try to leave the pandemic behind. Norway’s presence at the fair will make Norwegian literature even more accessible to a Polish audience, for the benefit of both authors and readers” says Anniken Huitfeldt, Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs.
“We are very excited to be the Guest of Honor of the Book Fair in Warsaw. This is a big opportunity to once again present authors and books from Norway to an international market, this time to Polish readers. During the last five years, Polish has been among the top 10 languages of NORLA’s translation grants. Many authors from Norway are already available in Polish translation, so the literary program will show all aspects ofcontemporary Norwegian literature”, says Margit Walsø, director of NORLA.
“There are countless reasons why we should read. Books expand horizons and introduce us to new places, cultures and traditions. Books fillgaps and build bridges. I hope that the participation of Norway as the guest of honour at this year’s Book Fair in Warsaw will give Poles an opportunity to deepen their knowledge about contemporary Norwegian authors and their literature, and also a tool to understand even better our particular culture, values and approach to life”, saysAndersH. Eide, Ambassadorof Norway to Poland.
Norwegian presence at the Book fair
Architect Anetta Blassej recte Błażej has designed the Norwegian tent and the common stand in Hall Marmurowa in the Palace of Culture and Science. The design is in a light colourpalette with emphasison openness, conversations and the literature, corresponding with the slogan “The Dream We Carry” / “Marzenie jest w nas” which is derived from the much loved poet, Olav H. Hauge.
Hall Marmurowa is the main working place for the Norwegian literary agents participating at the book fair. The literary agencies participating are: Cappelen Damm Agency, Egmont Kids Media, Gyldendal Agency, Magikon, Northern Stories Literary Agency, Oslo Literary Agency and Stilton Literary Agency.
In Hall Marmurowa, you will also find a stage with a program for book trade professionals, abook exhibition of Norwegian books translated to Polish, a creative corner with children’s books as well as a staffed info desk. See attached program for Marmurowa for all details.The Norwegian tent (Namiot E) is situated directly in front of thePalace of Culture and Science. The design of the tent mirrors Hall Marmurowa. The Norwegian tent is the main stage for the Norwegian program with daily program, a book shop run by Moda na Czytaine and a designated area for book signing after the literary events. The visualidentity is made by NODE Berlin Oslo and is a redesign of the visual identity from the Frankfurt project in 2019.
The Guest of Honour project will be visible on printed materials and all over the city: on the fairgrounds at the Palace of Culture and Science, on public transportation in Warsawand on the metro station Świętokrzyska.
Norway’s Guest of Honour project is organized by NORLA in close cooperation with the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Warsaw.
See the the Norwegian Guest of Honour program here
The press kit is available in English and Polish here
