Under the auspices of S.A. of the President of the Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou
20th Thessaloniki International Book Fair
May 16-19, 2024
The Reading Clubs actively participate in the 20th DEBTH
For the second year, the reading clubs, as genuine, timeless cores of love of reading and the dissemination of the book, make an appointment at the International Book Fair of Thessaloniki. Last year, the first meeting was held in Thessaloniki with many clubs from Athens and Northern Greece in discussions and a scientific day about clubs and reading. This year, the baton of the organization is taken up by clubs – members of the Network of Reading Clubs from Northern Greece who meet in the context of the DEBTH and discuss the characteristics of the clubs, such as social contribution, volunteerism and extroversion, about the role of children’s clubs in the cultivation of reading, the relationship between books and media, they discuss detective or historical novels and in the company of selected guests they analyze issues of national identity.
The creation of a Network of Reading Clubs is an initiative launched in 2022 with the coordination of the Hellenic Cultural Foundation. The EIP addressed an open call to the country’s reading clubs to register on a special platform, which remains active, meetings and events were organized and dozens of clubs from all over Greece have now gathered that are reactivating and creating synergies among themselves.
On Saturday 18/5 at 3pm, the Komotini Philanthropy Club and the Children’s Reading Club Dios Laloun and Totti Diavazion, thinking about the ways in which children will approach the book as the future readers of Greece, present the interactive game for children up to 8 years old From the stone in the e-book, about the history and development of writing and the book. At the same time, there will be an adult discussion on the topic of Creating Readers about the ways in which a children’s reading club can contribute to creating readers in an age of screen giants. The participants are: Dimitra Pyrgeli, writer, bookseller and coordinator of the children’s book club Two sing and everyone reads, Nasos Skopianos, graduate in library science, member of the Komotini Book Club and the discussion is moderated by Rena Samara-Maina, philologist, coordinator of the Komotini Book Club.
On Saturday 18/5, 6-8pm, the Hellenic Foundation for Culture and the Network of Reading Clubs are organizing an event on the theme of Reading Clubs: Extroversion, Volunteerism and Social Contribution, as well as a Workshop & open discussion with the public on Literary Reading Aloud. On the occasion of the meeting of Reading Clubs from all over the country at the 20th DBTH, coordinators and members of the clubs exchange views on the social role and contribution of the clubs to the community, as well as on how reading aloud can become a driving force for improving the lives of vulnerable social groups and spreading the love of reading. Participating are: Kelly Palla, philologist, coordinator of the “Ex Libris” group – the reading club of the “Filologos” club, author, Georgia Poulos, philologist, animator of the “Erasmio phos” and “Literary Walks” Reading Clubs, Rena Samara – Maina, philologist, coordinator of the Philanagnosia Club of Komotini, Fotini Christidou, philologist, coordinator of the Reading Club of the Regional Library of Triandria “Writers of Thessaloniki and the World”, poet and Maria Psoma-Petridou, coordinator of Reading Clubs “S.A.A.K”, ” The Nine Great Anarchists” and of the “Read Me” Voluntary Read-Aloud Group, author, culture columnist.
On Sunday 19/5 at 12.00, the Komotini Philanthropic Reading Club, the “Ex Libris” Reading Club of the Alumni Association of the Philosopher’s School of Athens “Philologos” and the “Erasmio Fos” Reading Club will discuss the Construction and Deconstruction of of national identity in the writers of the Balkans: the case of Telemachus Kotsias and Christos Armando Gezos. On the occasion of the novels “The Seven Windows” by Telemachos Kotsias and “Lost Needle” by Christos Armando Gezos, it is investigated how and to what extent the writers of the Balkan Peninsula ensure multicultural coexistence with respect for the otherness of the Other. Participating are: Stavroula Mavrogenis, professor of the Department of Balkan, Slavic and Oriental Studies PA.MAK., Rena Samara- Maina, philologist coordinator of the Komotini Reading Club, Kelly Palla, philologist, coordinator of the Ex Libris Reading Club, Georgia Poulos, philologist, animator of Reading Clubs. Guest writer Christos Armando Gezos.
The Police Reading Club “Christos Tsolakis” will also take part in the DEBTH with the reading of the book “The Dance of the Eagle”, by the archaeologist and author Naya Dalakouras (published by Keydarithmos), on Friday 17/5 at 7pm. Speakers: Konstantinos Bikos, Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy of AUTH, Eleni Housni, writer-journalist, Dimitris Apostolou, President of the Thessaloniki Police Association, George Apostolou, coordinator of the Reading Club, Naya Dalakoura, author of the book, Semina Digeni, KKE MP-journalist. Coordination: Eleni Housni, journalist-author. On Sunday 19/5 at 7pm the Historical Novel Reading Club of the Thessaloniki History Center (K.I.Th.) of the Municipality of Thessaloniki participates with the reading of the book The City of the Innocents by Katerina Karizoni (published by Kastaniotis) with the coordinator of the Club , Georgios Koukoutsis, teacher. On the same day, Sunday 19/5 at 5pm, the ERT3 Reading Club will be with us at the ERT3 Reading Club at the event Book and Media: Speech for ERT3. Speakers: Grigoris Paschalidis, professor of the Department of Journalism & Media, Filios Stagos, journalist, Director General of ERT3, Dimitris Nikoloudis, head of ERT3 radio programs, performer, Giorgos Kalientzidis, journalist, coordinator of the ERT3 Reading Club. It is moderated by Cynthia Sapika, Journalist-Director of News ERT3.
More information and details about the program of the 20th DEBTH will be announced in the near future. See also the website of the organization https://www.thessalonikibookfair.gr/.
The Thessaloniki International Book Fair is organized by the Hellenic Cultural Foundation in collaboration with Greek publishers, TIF-HELEXPO, the Region of Central Macedonia, the Municipality of Thessaloniki, with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Sports. It is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund, within the framework of the Central Macedonia PEP 2021-2027. DEBTH is a member of the Forum of International Book Fairs and the European Network of Book Fairs ALDUS UP.
With the support of the General Secretariat of Hellenism Abroad and Public Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
