Frankfurt Book Fair ends, Georgia takes over as Guest of Honour
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Georgia has been officially handed the status of the Guest of Honour of the Frankfurt Book Fair on the final day of the major international book event, as the country begins gearing up to bear the title at next year's fair.
On Sunday, the Georgian representation at the annual event were handed over the status by France in a ceremony involving authors, publishers and officials from the two countries.
The occasion featured a symbolic gift from the French side to mark the handover, as Georgian National Book Centre Director Medea Metreveli received a scroll with a paragraph from The Knight in the Panther's Skin, an iconic medieval poem by Georgia's national poet Shota Rustaveli.
Georgian-British artist @katiemelua singing live at the #fbm17 handover ceremony #georgiancharacterspic.twitter.com/NkXQNAfLW9
— FrankfurterBuchmesse (@Book_Fair) 15 October 2017
This is a great victory for the Georgian literature, and I would like to congratulate all Georgian authors and wish them a beautiful year 2018, full of emotions and joy. We all did this together and thank you to everyone", Metreveli said following the handover.
Georgian Publishers and Booksellers Association Deputy Chairman of Board Gvantsa Jobava told reporters the industry professionals involved in Georgia's preparations for the 2018 fair were looking to use the time until next year's event to translate and publish Georgian literature in "European and Eastern languages".
Author Lasha Bugadze called the adoption of the Guest of Honour status by Georgia a "widening of the literary geography" for the country and its writers. Bugadze's works have been translated for the German publisher by award-winning author Nino Kharatishvili.
Other authors involved in this year's fair included Zurab Karumidze, Zaza Burchuladze, Ana Kordzaia-Samadashvili and Nestan Nene Kvinikadze, while publishers and book agencies held industry meetings with their foreign counterparts in Frankfurt.
The Georgian representation at the Guest of Honour handover occasion. Photo: Georgian National Book Centre.
Georgia’s participation in the 2017 fair marks ongoing celebrations for 25 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The year-long celebrations involve cultural events including exhibitions and screenings in Georgia and Germany.
The participation of the country in the 2018 event as official Guest of Honour is anticipated to promote the country's literary scene as well as contribute to tourist interest and bring the attention of international media to Georgia during the annual fair.
Sunday's Guest of Honour handover concluded with a performance by United Kingdom-based Georgian singer Katie Melua and the Gori Women's Choir at the fairgrounds.
Some of the latest and best Georgian literature and its award-winning authors are ready for visitors of the Frankfurt Book Fair, as the major event opened earlier today.
You can now learn about Georgian authors and book translations set to be presented at the Frankfurt Book Fair even before going to the event launching next week.
The contemporary Georgian alphabet is a point of interest for many intrigued by its unique design, and now its 33 letters have been made to briefly explain some of the key points about the country.
Book presentations, meetings with authors and stands hosting over a dozen publishers will await visitors interested in discovering Georgian literature at this year’s Frankfurt Book Fair.
German-speaking translators are invited to apply for the a newly launched residency program allowing them to live in Georgia's capital and work on making some of the most fascinating examples of local literature available in German language.
German-speaking readers now have the opportunity to get their hands on Georgian author Zurab Karumidze's fiction work Dagny, or a Love Feast, following the book's release and its presentation at the Frankfurt Book Fair last month.
The producers of clothing, shoes, accessories, interior, furniture and other hand-made goods gathered in Georgian capital of Tbilisi this weekend to offer the local production to the visitors. The organisers said some 120 startupers exhibited their work at Expo Georgia to help people connect with the startups.
A group of Georgian contemporary artists will present their works in Leipzig’s popular art area Spinnerei on Saturday, where the display Georgian Imprint will host visitors.
Award-winning author Dato Turashvili will become the first Georgian writer to be featured at a literary section of the Berlinale Film Festival next month, after his work was selected among a dozen books for the event.
Georgian author Zurab Karumidze’s novel Dagny, or a Love Feast has been selected among top three books published in Germany, in a monthly rating by the country’s second largest broadcasting organisation.
Visitors of this year’s principal international book fair in Frankfurt will be the first to learn about winners of Georgia’s annual Saba Literary Prize.
German-based Georgian author Nino Kharatishvili has been honoured with another award for her acclaimed work The Eighth Life (for Brilka), after she was announced as winner of the prominent Bertolt Brecht Prize for Literature.
Georgia is officially launching a year-long program of literary activities and events in the German-speaking world, dedicated to the country’s status as the Guest of Honour at this year’s Frankfurt Book Fair in fall.
Celebrated authors, publishers and a Frankfurt Book Fair delegation will make an anniversary edition of Tbilisi International Book Fair a highlight literary event in Georgia.
Georgia will be represented at the River Bank Festival in Frankfurt with host country status from August 24-26. The festival is a part of the Frankfurt Book Fair where Georgia has been selected as the guest of honor this year.
A unique edition of the famous Georgian poem The Knight in the Panther’s Skin by Shota Rustaveli will be displayed at the Frankfurt Book Fair for one day on 9 October, which was the initiative of Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze.
Georgian literature, art and culture is taking centre stage at the Frankfurt Book Fair, the world’s leading literary event, through authors, publishers and artists who are set to present their work and meet audiences in the German city over the next five days.
A host of films by Georgian filmmakers, from 1920s classics to most recent international prize-winners, will mark the focus on the country at the Filmkunstfest festival in the city of Schwerin in Germany’s north starting today.