The 33rd SARAJEVO INTERNATIONAL BOOK AND TEACHING FAIR 2022 officially opened today at 11 am.
The fair was opened for visitors an hour earlier, and the first 10 visitors traditionally received gifts, books given by Damir Petrinić, director of KJP Centar Skenderija and president of the program council of the Fair Ibrahim Spahić. The ceremonial program began with the intonation of the anthem of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Council of Europe, after which Director Petrinić said that this is the most important event dedicated to books in Bosnia and Herzegovina and that it has become regionally unavoidable. “This year’s Fair will feature 85 authors, 36 publishing houses and exhibition organizers with around 115 works. Publishers and authors come from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, the United States, Iran and Germany. The focus will be on new works from all fields, and more than 65 promotions await us. We tried to create a great ambience, and in order to raise the attractiveness of the Fair, together with our friends, we prepared a number of new contents. We wish the publishers a successful placement of books, and the visitors to find quality reading for themselves”, said Petrinić. The President of the Program Council of the Fair, Ibrahim Spahić, pointed out that in recent years, fairs have spoken about books as a source, the key to wisdom and health. “It simply came to our notice then. That is why I chose the motto “The Power of the Book” for this year’s Fair. There are no limits to books and authors, and that is the power of books. Bosnia and Herzegovina is open like a book, if you respect the customs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, it will always welcome you with open arms. No one can restrain the power of the book, and you can take that power into your own hands”, Spahić emphasized. Adelaide Grabovica from the National and University Library of Bosnia and Herzegovina addressed on behalf of this year’s honorary guests of the Fair, which are libraries. “Libraries have always been a pillar of knowledge, education and culture. Libraries keep the evidence of what we were and the evidence of what we are. There are more than 3,000 publishers in Bosnia and Herzegovina and libraries occupy a significant place. Thanks to the fact that the Sarajevo Book Fair recognized their importance, you will have the opportunity to see a part of our activities within the library corner. We are all here for the same reason, to share the joy of reading”, said Grabovica. The Fair was opened by Hedina Tahirović-Sijerčić, a writer and researcher who greeted visitors in Romani, saying that she was glad to have the opportunity to speak on behalf of those who do not have the power. “At this moment, with the magic of my verses, I am opening the 33rd International Sarajevo Book and School Fair: Book, for the sake of all the dead and the living, cast magic on us, to drive away mice, to drive away enemies. The book, for the sake of all the dead and the living, cast magic on us, turn the pages upside down, and cursed black destiny, to deceive the black night. The book, for the sake of all the dead and the living, cast magic on us, enchant the earth and deny love, let the fire not smoke, let the curse not spread. Enchant, book, cast magic on us, it is yours and mine and our common POWER”, said Tahirović-Sijerčić. Members of the Martinčević family, father Frano and children Rebekah, Ytzhak, Ivo Joshua, David Ya’akov and Moshe Jordan performed at the opening of the Fair and performed a mix of Sephardic songs. The fair is open to visitors every day from 10 am to 7 pm. In addition to a large number of stands with fiction, professional, children’s and other types of literature, visitors to the Fair can see exhibitions “Art of Restoration”, exhibitions from the collection of the Museum of Freedom and Peace – IPC, exhibition and workshop of students of the Academy of Fine Arts Sarajevo, and the workshop of Uma Huseinović “The Power of the Picture Book”, the exhibition and workshop of the History Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the exhibition of old and rare books in the library of the Sarajevo High School of Applied Arts, the exhibition of Gazi Husrev-beg and many others.
