Bulgaria to headline Thessaloniki International Book Fair 2026

For the first time in more than 25 years Bulgaria will serve as the guest of honor at the 22nd Thessaloniki International Book Fair in Greece, a major international book fair, scheduled for May 7-10, 2026.

The last time Bulgaria participated in the Thessaloniki Book Fair was about 20 years ago, with the exception of one sporadic participation in 2023.

“Now we are breaking down the barriers between our literatures,” reads the organizers’ official statement, which also notes that Bulgaria and Greece have had no physical border since last year.

The country will participate under the slogan “Literature Beyond Borders,” echoing a quote from the novel “Border” by Bulgarian author Kapka Kassabova, cited as an epigraph: “The only good thing about a border is that you can cross it.”

In his opening remarks, Nayden Todorov, Minister of Culture of the Republic of Bulgaria, said that the country’s participation in the 22nd Thessaloniki International Book Fair “is guided by the belief that literature transcends borders.”

“In recent years, Bulgarian literature has significantly expanded its international presence. Bulgarian authors and their translators have received prestigious recognition, while an increasing number of works are being published in multiple languages worldwide. This growing visibility is the result of sustained efforts by writers, translators, publishers, and cultural institutions working together to build a vibrant and sustainable literary ecosystem,” Todorov said.

Recent achievements underscore this momentum. In 2023, Bulgarian writer Georgi Gospodinov won the International Booker Prize, as well as Italy’s Premio Strega and Poland’s Angelus Prize. This year, Bulgarian author Rene Karabash’s debut novel, “She Who Remains,” was shortlisted for the Booker Prize.

Coinciding with the fair, four books by Bulgarian authors have been published in Greek; all will be presented during the event.

The program features author meet-and-greets, discussions, children’s workshops, and screenings of short and animated films. The Bulgarian national stand will officially open on May 7 at 5:00 p.m., and the fair will conclude on May 10 with a concert at the Rotunda featuring Bulgarian and Greek musicians.

Bulgaria maintains a well-developed book culture, with more than 200 publishing houses and over 600 bookstores nationwide. More than 60% of Bulgarians have read at least one book in the past year. The government also actively promotes literature abroad: each year, the Ministry of Culture and the National Cultural Fund support around 40 translations of Bulgarian books into more than 20 languages, from Brazil to India.

Bulgarian is also among the top three languages into which Ukrainian literature is most frequently translated as part of the Translate Ukraine program: over the course of the program’s six years, 29 Ukrainian books have been published in Bulgarian.

The Thessaloniki International Book Fair is organized by the Hellenic Foundation for Books and Culture in collaboration with the TIF-HELEXPO, the Greek publishers and the Municipality of Thessaloniki, with the support of the Ministry of Culture and the Region of Central Macedonia. It is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund, as part of the Central Macedonia Regional Operational Programme 2021-2027. TBH is a member of the International Book Fairs Forum and the European Book Fairs Network ALDUS UP.

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