Ukrainian Book Day in Moscow
Ukrainian Book Day is taking place within the framework of the 20th Moscow International Exhibition. Valentyna Babyliulko, director of publishing at Derzhkomteleradio (State Committee on Radio and Television Broadcasting) tells The Day about some of the books being offered to the Russians and the guests of the fair.
Are only state publishers represented at the exhibition?
Ukraine has about 500 book titles from major publishers representing all types of ownership. We are presenting the products of all Ukrainian state publishers that are being printed in accordance with the “Ukrainian Book” national program. The finest samples of books published by private companies, such as Folio, Rodovid, Baltia-druk, Vydavnytstvo Staroho Leva, and others, are being shown alongside those issued with the financial support of the state. Altogether, there are about 100 publishers here, as well as Summit-Knyha, a book distributing organization that is selling Ukrainian books at the fair.
Tell us about the genres represented at the book fair.
Books of all genres are displayed at the exhibition: history, fiction, educational books, and school and university textbooks - the whole range of Ukrainian books.
We invited the Ukrainian Ambassador to Russia, the staff of the Ukrainian Library in Moscow, and representatives of the countries with which we cooperate (Poland, Germany, Belarus, and Romania) to attend Ukrainian Book Day. I am convinced that every publisher will be able to find his target group of readers and present his products properly. The State Committee on Radio and Television Broadcasting hopes that our delegation’s participation in the Moscow Fair will enhance the promotion and popularization of Ukrainian books internationally. Of course, publishers are sure to gain profits, as contracts on printing and translating books, particularly those by contemporary Ukrainian writers, will be signed.
We have to promote Ukrainian books more actively and create more favorable conditions for selling them. Taking part in international book fairs is one of the most effective ways of introducing our books to the international market. I would like to tell you about the books that are most popular with readers. It is perhaps symbolic that these are books that won the Best Book of Ukraine awards at the 3rd Kyiv International Exhibition and Fair, which took place in late August. One of them is John George Penzel, Transformation: Sculpture - a catalogue of his wood sculptures, issued by the Grani T publishing company. In general, we are presenting many fine art books in Moscow, for instance, a unique edition entitled The Castles and Fortresses of Ukraine, Les Kurbas: Rehearsal for the Future, and a collection of documents about the Holodomor in Ukraine. Notably, the exhibition is attracting the attention of many countries far and wide. This is an important factor in the development of our national publishing and gives Ukraine an important opportunity to promote itself.
