The 22nd Thessaloniki International Book Fair (TBF) takes place from Thursday, May 7, to Sunday, May 10, 2026, at the Thessaloniki International Exhibition & Congress Center (TIF-HELEXPO), featuring the theme “Generation of Readers / Book Generators” (GeneReaders_BookGenerators), with Bulgaria as the Guest of Honour. This is the second year the event is organized by the Hellenic Foundation for Books and Culture (ELIVIP), in collaboration with TIF–HELEXPO, Greek publishers, and the Municipality of Thessaloniki, with the support of the Ministry of Culture and the Region of Central Macedonia. The fair is one of the key pillars in a broader range of initiatives and programs run by ELIVIP throughout the year, both within Greece and internationally.
Unique in its category in the Greek region, TBF was inaugurated in May 2004 with the aim of putting Greece on the map of international book fairs. It soon became a major hub for cultural and commercial exchanges between Europe, the Balkans, the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Today, it is one of the country’s most important cultural institutions, enjoying international recognition. The Fair is a landmark not only for the city of Thessaloniki, but also internationally. Every year it is enriched and expanded in terms of themes, venues, programmes and guests from all over the world, responding to challenges and new trends. In addition to hosting events in the publishing world, TBF collaborates with institutions, organizations, embassies, educational institutes, co-organizing festivals, competitions, awards, thematic tributes, round tables, etc. within the framework of the Fair. Among them are the Festival of Young Writers, the Translation Festival or the Young Book Designers Award. It also provides a platform to networks, such as the Reading Club Network, which was created and coordinated by the Hellenic Foundation for Books and Culture, to develop synergies and present their work within the framework of the Fair.
GENEREADERS – A GENERATION OF READERS: Reading culture in the spotlight!
This year’s fair hosts 318 exhibitors (publishers and organizations), including 30 publishing houses participating for the first time. A total of 330 events for adults will take place, starting from the morning of Thursday, May 7. There will be 25 international authors traveling to Thessaloniki, while 40 distinguished professionals from major publishing houses around the world will take part in the fellowship programme. Additionally, 8 prominent representatives of international organizations and ministries will participate in the professional programme, along with 3 authors connected to the European Union Prize for Literature (EUPL). For younger audiences, 104 events for children and teenagers will be organized by 40 publishing houses and 17 educational and cultural institutions. The Fair will also welcome more than 60 organized school groups—from kindergartens, primary schools, secondary schools, and special education schools in the Thessaloniki region and surrounding areas—with around 2,500 students participating in coordinated activities. At the same time, additional student groups are expected to visit the fair independently for tours outside the scheduled events.
At the opening ceremony, Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni stated: “At a time of sweeping change and technological challenges, such as the growing influence of Artificial Intelligence, the Thessaloniki International Book Fair serves as an ideal forum for reflection on the future of reading. The success of this institution is founded on the fortunate convergence of state support and the growing interest of civil society, which has consistently upheld the book as an irreplaceable cultural good. Through a rich programme of talks and discussions, the Fair offers a true panorama of ideas, seeking convincing answers to the challenges surrounding reading culture. At the same time, this year’s event highlights its dual nature, combining high aesthetics with excellent preparation, while serving as a faithful reflection of national publishing production. The Fair has demonstrated its resilience, overcoming the difficulties of the economic crisis and now achieving a strong sense of confidence and stability. The institution is entering a phase of full maturity, strengthening its international reach and its collaboration with Thessaloniki’s dynamic cultural organizations. I would like to thank the President of ELIVIP, Nikos Bakounakis, for the excellent organization, as well as Bulgaria’s Deputy Minister of Culture, Victor Stoyanov, whose presence demonstrates that the vibrant literature of the neighbouring country continues to gain ever wider audiences across Europe.”
This is the fourth year of the international professional programme held within the framework of the Thessaloniki International Book Fair, where publishers, authors, literary agents, translators, and publishing professionals from all over the world gather at TBF to exchange ideas, create partnerships, and explore new opportunities in the global publishing landscape. This year’s expanded professional programme takes place at the DIALOGOS Rights Center (Pavilion 15, HELEXPO Exhibition Center). This year, the 40 participants from around the world will contribute their ideas and knowledge in the fields of rights sales and acquisitions, Artificial Intelligence, the development of reading habits, and translation funding models. The “Spanish Phenomenon’’ will be explored as a best practice, as well as the parallel lives of books and media, especially in the era of social media.
Now in its fourth year, the popular fellowship program at the Dialogos Center for Rights received 191 applications from 61 countries. Twenty professionals from 15 countries (Armenia, Romania, Poland, Egypt, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Turkey, Germany, France, Portugal, Italy, Spain, the UK, and the US) were selected by ELIVIP and the publishers’ associations. An additional ten professionals will represent the honored country, while another ten book professionals have independently registered to participate in the program. In total, more than 20 events will take place.
Authors from all over the world at the 22nd TBF. Thessaloniki is becoming the meeting point for Greek and foreign authors, playwrights, illustrators, translators, and screenwriters. TBF becomes the platform for all voices to be heard from everywhere, in a fascinating dialogue of cultures that promotes peaceful coexistence, freedom of expression, mutual respect, and pluralism.
Bulgaria: Guest of Honor at the 22nd TBF. With “Literature Beyond Borders’’ as its motto, Bulgaria, the Guest of Honour at the 22nd Thessaloniki International Book Fair, has designed a diverse programme in dialogue with Greece, in collaboration with HFBC. This programme reflects the contemporary literary landscape of our neighbouring country, spanning writing, translation, and illustration, as well as the professional sector and the book market.
Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni and Bulgaria’s Deputy Minister of Culture Victor Stoyanov at the opening ceremony
Children’s & young adults corner at the 22nd TBF. The TBF programme for children and young adults sets the tone with activities and events spreading across every corner of the fair and even beyond. The exhibition is taken over by children of all ages, turning the central theme of Reading Culture into reality, rather than just a motto! Young visitors can look forward to meeting great authors and illustrators from Greece and abroad, embarking on adventures, treasure hunts, and mystery games, or enjoying book parties, crafts, and creative workshops, as well as theatrical and music-movement performances. A total of 104 events for children and teenagers are organized by 40 publishing houses and 17 educational and cultural institutions, 40 of which are specifically designed for organized student groups.
Thessaloniki Book Fair Events Programme. Find out about the scheduled events of the 22nd TBF. The programme brings together a wide range of events covering contemporary publishing and intellectual production. Book presentations, discussions, tributes and activities for different audiences compose a complete picture of the exhibition. Explore the sections and discover the events that interest you.
TAGS: LITERATURE & BOOKS
