The 75th Frankfurter Buchmesse (18–22 October 2023) will host a high-profile programme of political and cultural activities in honour of its anniversary, serving as a venue for social discourse and literary discussions. The President of the Republic of Slovenia, Nataša Pirc Musar, will open the largest gathering of the publishing business on October 18. At the opening ceremony, philosopher and author Slavoj Žižek and poet and journalist Miljana Cunta will provide keynote speeches on philosophy and literature, respectively. Speaking will be Mike Josef, the mayor of the City of Frankfurt; Angela Dorn, the minister of state for science and the arts in the State of Hesse; and Karin Schmidt-Friderichs, the chairwoman of the German Publishers & Booksellers Association.

“The world is coming undone,” said Juergen Boos, Director of Frankfurter Buchmesse, at today’s press conference, commenting on a globe unsettled by simultaneous crises. “We have the crisis of climate change and the crisis among Western democracies. We have been experiencing Putin’s war of aggression against Ukraine for over a year and a half. And on 7 October, Hamas’s terrorist warfare against Israel reached a whole new, terrifying level. We are all horrified. Frankfurter Buchmesse has always been about humanity; the focus is on people interacting with each other. This humanity was shattered on 7 October by the attack on Israel carried out by Hamas’s terrorists. Our sympathy goes out to the people whose loved ones have been the targets of this violence and everyone in Israel and Palestine suffering because of this war. We condemn the terror against Israel and condemn those who are financing it and thus making it possible.”

K V Brahmam, Editor-in-Chief of Brainfeed Magazines, is attending the Bookfair at the request of the Frankfurter Buchmesse. Every day, we will provide you with exclusive coverage of the occasion.

The largest trade show for the publishing industry worldwide, Frankfurter Buchmesse is also the most significant global content marketplace, offering everything from children’s books and novels to scholarly databases and narratives for video games, movies, and virtual reality experiences. Global publishing experts connect with partners in the technology sector as well as allied creative and cultural industries here, resulting in the formation of new alliances and business models.

An annual Guest of Honour nation has been a part of the book fair since 1976. Through various means, the country presents its literature, book market, and culture to the attendees. Frankfurter Buchmesse arranges for German publishers to participate in international book fairs and prepares trade shows in key international markets all year long. The Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels, or German Publishers & Booksellers Association, is the parent organisation of Frankfurter Buchmesse.

Numerous activities will examine today’s most important socio-political topics during the fair’s five days. During the inaugural news conference, British scientific writer and author Gaia Vince (Nomad Century) discussed the relationship between climate change and the already-initiated worldwide migration movements. Claudia Roth, Germany’s Federal Commissioner for Culture and the Media, Deniz Yücel (PEN Berlin), Irina Sherbakova (author and cofounder of the human rights organisation Memorial), Dmitry Glukhovsky (Russian bestselling author in exile), and Meron Mendel (Bildungsstätte Anne Frank) will take part in upcoming discussions on the main cultural policy stage in the famous Frankfurt Pavilion.

In keeping with the event’s title, “The Era of Global Boiling – What Can We Do?” experts from the UN will address climate change on the Frankfurt International Stage and inspire attendees to go from analysis to action. Lea Bonasera, a pioneer of the Last Generation movement and a climate activist, will also be in Frankfurt. She will be taking part, along with other activists, in the Literature Stage series “SHEROES – Streiterinnen für die Zukunft” (SHEROES – Fighters for the Future), which is hosted by broadcasters ARD, ZDF, and 3sat. This year’s other invited writers include AI specialist Mina Saidze and former feminist activist Zana Ramadani.

Leading figures in children’s and young adult literature will be present at the Frankfurt Kids Festival, which takes place on different stages throughout the fairgrounds from Friday to Sunday. Ursula Poznanski, Benjamin Lacombe, Margit Auer, and Cornelia Funke are among the celebrities who are expected to make appearances. On October 20, 2023, Otfried Preußler’s 100th birthday would have been appropriately observed. Book signings are a must because there are so many well-known writers in attendance. A new event space in Hall 4.1 is the Meet the Author area, where writers and readers may engage in casual conversation.