Bulgaria to be guest of honor at Bookfest International Book Fair 2026 in Bucharest
Bulgaria will be the guest of honor at the International Book Fair Bookfest, which will take place in Bucharest, at Romexpo, between June 3 and 7. Over 20 guests, including the most important Bulgarian writer of the moment, Georgi Gospodinov, will come to Bucharest to take part in a rich series of debates, book launches, and autograph sessions, according to Agerpres.
Among the guests will be some who “have also recently had new books translated into Romanian, such as Georgi Gospodinov, Ioanna Elmy, Elena Alexieva, Nadejda Radulova, Kostadin Kostadinov, Emil Andreev, or Ivan Stankov,” but also the author of children’s books, Petya Kokudeva, according to the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture.
In the last decade, Bulgarian literature has become increasingly visible on the international stage, supported by translations into numerous languages and the recognition of important authors, with contemporary Bulgarian writers enjoying global attention, and their works appearing more and more frequently in the international publishing space.
Between 2024 and 2026, numerous books have been translated and published abroad, strengthening the presence of Bulgarian literature in the world. Authors and translators are also increasingly recognized through nominations and awards such as the European Union Prize for Literature and PEN, while visual artists and illustrators participate in international exhibitions and book fairs.
An important moment was the winning of the International Booker Prize by Georgi Gospodinov in 2023, as well as the nomination of Rene Karabash in this year’s edition.
Bulgaria’s participation as guest of honor will include, in addition to events dedicated to literature, presentations of the contemporary Bulgarian literary landscape, analyses of the book market, and discussions about trends in publishing. Opportunities for grants and funding programs will also be addressed, as well as topics related to writer and translator residencies, literary festivals, and exchange programs.
“Bulgaria has a culture which, although very close to us geographically and historically, remains still insufficiently known in our country. I hope that this Bookfest edition will help us discover it better,” said the president of the Romanian Publishers Association, Grigore Arsene.
The Bulgarian stand, created with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Bulgaria and organized by the Bulgarian Book Association (or BBA), will be located in Pavilion B2.
(Photo source: Bookfest - Salonul Internațional de Carte on Facebook)
