Istanbul Book fair hosts publishers from the world

ISTANBUL

The guest of honor at the Istanbul International Book Fair, Gülten Dayıoğlu (L) says it is like a gift for her 50th year.

The 31st International Istanbul Book Fair opened on Nov. 17 at the TÜYAP Fair and Congress Center in Büyükçekmece with the theme “My Childhood Is My Homeland – Children’s and Youth Literature.”

The guest of honor of the fair, Gülten Dayıoğlu said she had dedicated her pen to children and youth for 50 years, adding that this was the first time she was the guest of honor at such an extensive event.

“This is like a gift for my 50th year. Children’s literature is very important. Books are nutrition for children’s brains. I hope that the three or four generations that have read me so far will continue this chain,” she said.

The book fair will host a series of distinguished writers and illustrators within this theme.

More than 600 publishers

At the opening of the fair, TÜYAP Consultative Committee Chairman Doğan Hızlan spoke about the development of the fair for 31 years, and noted the literacy rate Turkey had reached. “Books are free but writers are not. We hope that writers will appear with their books at the next fairs.”

The country of honor at the fair is the Netherlands. Commemorating the 400th anniversary of relations between Turkey and the Netherlands, Dutch culture and literature will be presented and discussed in a variety of events.

Featuring more than 600 domestic and foreign publishers and nongovernmental organizations, the 31st International Istanbul Book Fair is being held concurrently with the 22nd Istanbul Art Fair - ARTIST 2012.

Guests at the opening ceremony of the fair included Turkish Cypriot President Derviş Eroğlu, Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bağış, Republic of China’s Press and Publications Minister Liu Binjie, Istanbul Gov. Hüseyin Avni Mutlu, Dutch Consul in Istanbul Onno Kervers, Culture and Tourism Director Ahmet Emre Bilgli and Beylikdüzü Mayor Yusuf Uzun, as well as foreign press members.
The fair will continue through Nov. 25.