"We, the Sparrows" are flying to Bologna, where the International Children's Book Fair will be held," the Bulgarian Book Association and the Association for Culture and Literature announced today.
After two years of rivalry, the two organizations have apparently joined hands and taken joint actions to present Bulgarian artists in the capital of children's book publishing - Bologna.
"Inspired by Yordan Radichkov's emblematic work "We, the Sparrows", we created this project as a symbol of continuity between generations of readers. We hope to turn it into an inspiring shelter for young and old, as well as an example of the qualities and literary value of Bulgarian publications for children and young people. The artistic design of the stand was the idea of Gergana Dimitrova, a member of the Management Board of the Bulgarian Book Association, and its implementation was the work of the talented designer Milena Valnarova. Over 100 Bulgarian titles for children will fill the shelves of the Bulgarian stand, and next to them an exhibition with illustrations by Ina Hristova, Lyuba Haleva, Nevena Angelova and Kapka Kaneva will bring the fictional characters to life in front of visitors," the organizers also say.
And while ABK every year invites domestic publishers to submit the books they want to present to the public, for the third year in a row it is not clear on what principle the participants of the "Association for Culture and Literature" are selected. Their website has not been updated in the last year, some of the books presented during the 2025 exhibition are not reflected on their website, there is no information, and no jury and evaluators have been published. In 2024 and 2025, this role was played by Anton Staykov and Svoboda Tsekova, who were also responsible for the visualization of the association's stand and the accompanying exhibitions in the country.
As the Ministry of Culture, which financed the project with 5,459.14 leva, assessed: "The project includes established contemporary Bulgarian illustrators and demonstrates a good level, but the originality is limited, as it has already been implemented in previous years. There are gaps in the budget documentation, as well as a lack of a designated manager and accountant. In addition, the question arises of the objectivity in presenting the "best" artists at an international forum, which suggests the need for a broader professional discussion related to the image of the country."
The Bologna International Book Fair will be held from 13 to 16 April 2026 for the 63rd time.
The Bulgarian participation in the Bologna International Children's Book Fair is organized by the Bulgarian Book Association and the Association for Culture and Literature with the financial support of the National Culture Fund and the Ministry of Culture.
Source: BBA
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