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The 17th edition of the International Book Fair Bookfest opened Romexpo, Bucharest
The Bookfest International Book fair is already a marquee event for the city of Bucharest, a celebration of good books and a true gala of culture, Culture Minister Raluca Turcan told the fair's opening ceremony on Wednesday.
She voiced satisfaction over Moldova's participation as guest of honour, saying that it represents "a new statement of affirmation of a common cultural space."
"I am very glad that the Republic of Moldova is the guest of honour of the seventeenth edition of this exhibition event dedicated to books, much awaited and loved in Romania. I want to confess to you: I was impressed by the slogan chosen by my friends from across the Prut River - 'I am embracing you, Republic of Moldova.' Indeed, the Romanian language and Romanian culture encompass us all, from here and beyond the Prut River - from Iasi, Sibiu or Bucharest, as well as from Chisinau, Soroca and Orhei. Therefore, I see Bookfest 2024 as a new handshake over the Prut River and a new statement of affirmation of the common cultural space. It is a special connection, which makes me happy and which I had the opportunity to highlight last month at the International Art Biennale in Venice."
The motto of this year's edition of Bookfest is "Enfolding you", a multi-layered equivalent of the phrase "I embrace you", used in Moldova.
The participation of the Republic of Moldova as guest of honour of the Bookfest International Book Fair is a privilege, a huge responsibility, but also an occasion of great pride, because we come home from home, from our people to our people, united by the broad wings of the Romanian language, President Maia Sandu said.
"It is with great emotion, but also with great joy, that I welcome the opening of the Bookfest International Book Fair, the most beautiful possible form of celebrating literature, knowledge and the creative human spirit. For us, those of us from the Republic of Moldova, this edition is of overwhelming significance, because we come from home, from our own to ours, united by the broad wings of the Romanian language. It is a privilege, an immense responsibility, but also a great pride for us to be this year's guests of honour. It is a gesture of great generosity on Romania's part, a gesture of solidarity, support and trust, a gesture that goes beyond the limits of literature and the publishing industry," underlined Maia Sandu, in the message presented by presidential advisor Angela Brasoveanu.
President Maia Sandu believes that the presence at Bookfest of the Republic of Moldova as guest of honour "is a test of quality and a measure of talent, effort, dedication and consistency for all those involved in the process of creating and promoting books." "And they are many, authors, publishers, editors, proofreaders, designers and illustrators, printers, distributors, promoters, cultural journalists, literary critics, managers, teachers, librarians and booksellers," she added.
Sandu pointed out that "Bookfest, in the Bucharest edition, as well as in the Chisinau edition, clearly shows that, from a cultural point of view, borders no longer exist."
Maia Sandu voiced hope that the Republic of Moldova and Romania will be reunited in the "big European family."
"We all hope that we are at a point where there is no turning back, that we will all, together, be part of the great European family, part of the free world, where books are not burned at the stake and writers do not rot in gulags or in trenches, and ordinary citizens are not imprisoned for a white sheet or for the word peace," Maia Sandu added.
President Klaus Iohannis considers that by inviting the Republic of Moldova as a guest of honor to Bookfest Bucharest 2024, the fair promotes language and literature unity as an expression of a shared cultural space.
"I appreciate the initiative of the Romanian Publishers Association, which is yet another proof that Romania is and will remain on all levels the most dedicated supporter of the European path of the Republic of Moldova, of its accession to the space of peace and prosperity the European Union is," the head of the state wrote in the message conveyed at the opening of the 17th Bookfest Fair, which takes place May 29 through June 2, under the Presidency's high patronage.
Iohannis expressed his hope that the fair will contribute to increasing public interest in books, literature and reading.
"I am happy to welcome to Bucharest the writers and publishing houses from the Republic of Moldova, a country we share culture and traditions with, and which values the cultivation of the Romanian language. Cultural dialogue creates bridges that bring peoples closer together and helps states strengthen their cooperation. Bookfest has built itself a solid reputation as a literary and professional agora, enabling authors, publishers and translators to meet universal culture personalities, and the Romanian book to gain visibility throughout the world," he emphasized.
"The Moldovan citizens deserve to enjoy all the benefits of belonging to the big European family, as a natural consequence of their committing to the democratic values, which, despite the vicissitudes of history, have inspired an original and valuable contemporary literary creation, enriching our common cultural treasure and growing its prestige in Europe and throughout the world," said Klaus Iohannis.
In his turn, Moldova's Culture Minister Sergiu Prodan said that his presence as guest of honour at Bookfest is the "pinnacle" of efforts made by "entire generations of Basarabia."
"I am overjoyed that today we live in times that half a century ago seemed impossible, when we freely cross the border in both directions and when books cross this border without fear of arrest, times when the most important and most awaited event of Romanian language opens its arms and heart wide to a literary community that also creates in Romanian," Prodan said
He added that Romanian literature meant and means to Basarabia "openness to the great Romanian culture, to Europe and European culture."
Also attending the opening ceremony were US ambassador to Romania Kathleen Kavalec and Molddova's ambassador to Romania Victor Chirila.