Bologna cancels participation in the collective stand of Russian publishers

The Bologna Children’s Book Fair and related organizations are suspending cooperation with Russian publishers. This was reported on the official website of the fair.

«The Bologna Children’s Book Fair and related organizations want to express their condemnation of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. The BCBF can confirm that cooperation with all Russian government agencies responsible for organizing the Russian collective stand at the upcoming fair will be stopped immediately», ˗ the statement said.

Among the organizations that have stopped cooperating are the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, the Bologna Book Plus with a wider professional audience and the Bologna Licensing Trade Fair. According to the statement, «they have been and continue to support the Ukrainian Publishers Association and will continue to promote their books, illustrators and writers in their absence at this year’s event».

«Books of all ages remain a bridge between cultures, and the publishing industry has never been so important before to children and everyone», – the statement added.

Earlier, it was reported that the organizers of the Frankfurt Book Fair also suspended cooperation with Russia.

It should be noted that the Ukrainian Association of Publishers and Booksellers appealed to the International Association of Publishers to support the strictest sanctions. The International Publishers Association said it was looking for ways to support Ukrainian publishers.