Posted: 30.03.2022 11:15:00

Find your favourite book

Twelve countries, book novelties, an influx of visitors, meetings of writers and readers — the 29th Minsk International Book Fair took place in Minsk

The 29th Minsk International Book Fair under the motto ‘The River of Time of the Homeland’ is not just a festival of writers and readers, but also a review of all domestic book publishing. From year to year, the leading publishing houses of Belarus exhibit high-profile novelties on their stands, based on reader demand and social trends. The current exhibition is no exception: here you can find the most diverse literature — from children’s to scientific, from fiction to technical.

From past to present

The main difference of the forum from all the previous ones is that there are many young people among the visitors. It seems that the organisers, in particular the Ministry of Information, managed to distract teenagers from gadgets, draw their attention to His Majesty — the book. The main attraction of the book exhibition is the educational quarter and the main stand called ‘The River of Time of the Homeland’. Here one can point smartphone’s camera at the screen to see the revived photographs, imagine how Belarus looked many years ago, and see how beautiful it has become now. 

The President sent a greeting to the participants and guests of the 29th Minsk International Book Fair and the 8th International Symposium of Writers called ‘Writer and Time’. Maksim Ryzhenkov, First Deputy Head of the Belarus President Administration, read a greeting to 222 participants and numerous guests of the forum. 
“At all times the book has been at the centre of culture, an integral part of the history of mankind, its spiritual wealth and heritage. Telling about the events of the past days, passing on knowledge about the centuries-old national traditions, the book teaches us to love our native land and honour the memory of our ancestors. I am convinced that by uniting readers, writers and publishers of different generations through love for the book, we connect the past and the present, anticipate the future,” the message reads. 

Read, watch, and meet

There are many visual elements on the Russian stand — in the children’s part of the exposition, one can get acquainted with the Books in the City collection. This exhibition of picture books about real and imaginary cities and their inhabitants is designed to help children teach them to tell fascinating cartoon stories about themselves and their city.

Photo by BELTA


Many bright and distinguished surprises were prepared by our guests from exotic countries: partners from China not only doubled the occupied space, but also published a number of books especially for the exhibition. The forum was also attended by publishers from Turkey, Pakistan, Palestine, Iran, who traditionally did not limit themselves to paper products, but presented large book and cultural stands that give an idea of the richness and diversity of their national arts.
‘The Writer and Time’ annual Symposium of Writers was held within the framework of the exhibition, in which publishers, writers, philosophers and poets from seven countries took part. These eternal questions were discussed at the symposium by thinkers and our contemporaries: how to establish a dialogue with readers, should writers make commitments of making sharp journalistic statements in our difficult time, does the role of thick literary magazines increase in an era when every blogger believes he or she is a writer. 

In the bookshelves 

The priority areas in which the Belarusian book publishing is developing are educational, children’s, classical and modern fiction.
 The most active book buyers are parents who purchase different textbooks, as well as art publications: these areas are traditionally the leaders in sales. That is why the educational quarter is considered the central panel at the book exhibition, in the organisation of which the publishing houses of the Ministry of Education took part. Moreover, they often go beyond strictly educational literature in recent years: for example, the Vysheishaya Shkola Publishing  House this year issued a whole series of medical publications in English prepared by Belarusian doctors and an extremely effective language course called Belarusian language? With pleasure! made by Professor of Belarusian State University Tatyana Ramza. Book publishing also occupies an important position in the work of the Zvyazda Publishing House, which is mainly a media publishing house that produces socio-political, social and literary periodicals.
Moreover, its share has grown in the last year. Staggering novelties of 2021 — early 2022 are also presented at the book fair. Firstly, these are biographies of famous contemporaries: just recently, the Unbroken Aleksei Talai (the book is dedicated to a famous Paralympic athlete, public and political figure) and The Phenomenon of Valentin Elizariev (about the path and work of an outstanding choreographer, People’s Artist of Belarus, artistic director of the National Academic Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theatre) publications were presented. 
Belarus Publishing House arranged a real presentation marathon for the 29th Minsk International Book Fair: Belarus Remembers. In the Name of Life and Peace book series, Belarus. Tragedy and Truth of Memory, the History for Schoolchildren series, The Peace of Riga in the Fate of the Belarusian People two-volume book, the Poland and Belarus. 1921–1953, Aleksandr Prokopenko. People’s Footballer biography and a number of art albums and books on art.

In defence of people and truth

Over the past two years, publicists have appeared in Belarus, who can be considered writers as well. Andrei Mukovozchik, the observer of SB. Belarus Segodnya is among them. He presented his solid two-volume book called Roots and Dorcadion at the main stand of the book fair. 
“In the first volume — Roots, I talk about how, in what way and by what methods they tried to introduce Western values to us, thereby replacing our national identity. However, the second volume — Dorcadion is focused on personalities. I could even not to write about these collaborators, but I thought that time would pass, and many would forget their shameful role in our Belarusian history. We should remember this forever. We need to know those who tried to overturn the country in 2020 by sight. The second book is devoted exactly to them,” the author explained. 
We are pleased to note that our other colleague, columnist Maksim Osipov, presented the Crimes of Poland and Lithuania against Refugees: Facts and Evidence book at the stand of the Belarus Publishing House.
“This book is our contribution to the Year of the Historical Memory, to the protection of people and truth. This is a denunciation of the essence of Western civilisation, which has transformed into anything but democracy, and has lost its philanthropy,” Maksim Osipov emphasised.

By Victoria Popova
Photos by Aleksey Vyazmitinov