Fans of the world's largest book fair are invited to literary and political discussions. This year, Russia's assault on Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war are the main themes.
ADVERTISEMENTThe Frankfurt Book Fair opened its doors to the public this Wednesday.
The agenda for the 75th edition reflects the world's current crises, from the war in Ukraine to recent events in Gaza.
Before the opening of the fair, director Juergen Boos condemned Hamas' attacks on Israel.
“We also condemn those who finance terror,” he said on Tuesday.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was due to attend the opening ceremony on Tuesday evening but cancelled as it clashed with plans to visit Israel and Egypt.
In his place, the Minister of Culture stressed the importance of diversity.
"Just now, we need the freedom of thought, the diversity of the books and perspectives, and that is exactly what Frankfurt Book Fair stands for," said Claudia Roth.
Slovenia is this year's Guest of Honour in Frankfurt, with its own pavilion, a space that shows how history influences literature.
"The national boundaries of Slovenia shifted considerably throughout history. The Slovenian territory belonged to different nations. And all these influences - German, Mediterranean, Slavic - left their mark on Slovenian everyday life, the culture and the arts," explained writer Milijana Cunta.
During the fair, visitors are invited to literary and political discussions. Numerous well-known authors are expected to appear in front of the audience to present their books.
Among those expected is the Indian-British writer Salman Rushdie, who received the Peace Prize in the German Book Trade. The fair's big topics include artificial intelligence, climate change and the fight against populism and extremism.
No stranger to controversy, Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Zizek roiled the audience in a speech at the opening in which he criticised the recent Hamas attacks and Israel's forces for bombarding Gaza.
He was interrupted by the audience several times.
