Bulgaria, guest of honor of the Bookfest International Book Fair, 2026 edition

„The most difficult form of curiosity is that towards your neighbor,

the one with whom you share a geographical and historical proximity.”

– Gheorghi Gospodinov, the most translated contemporary Bulgarian writer

The 19th edition of the Bookfest International Book Fair, which will take place at Romexpo from June 3-7, 2026, has Bulgaria as its guest of honor, a special opportunity for Romanian readers to rediscover contemporary Bulgarian literature and explore the cultural diversity of the neighboring country through the books, authors, translators and publishers who will take part in the event.

On this occasion, a delegation of over 20 guests, including the most important Bulgarian writer of the moment, Gheorghi Gospodinov, will arrive in Bucharest to take part in a rich series of events: debates, book launches, autograph sessions.

„Bulgaria has a culture that, although very close to us geographically and historically, still remains insufficiently known in our country. My hope is that this edition of Bookfest will help us discover it better. Even if it is one of the most complex editions so far, I am confident that Bulgaria will offer us the opportunity to fully enjoy very good quality literature and discover remarkable authors.

Literature and books ultimately remain bridges between people and cultures, bringing us closer to each other through the stories we share, declared Grigore Arsene, president of the Romanian Publishers Association.

The idea of ​​rapprochement, mutual discovery and the transformation of geographical and historical proximity into an authentic cultural dialogue is also supported by the most important Bulgarian writer of the moment, Gheorghi Gospodinov:

„The most difficult form of curiosity is that towards your neighbor, the one with whom you share a geographical and historical proximity. It is time to tell each other’s stories and read each other’s. Literature can do simple but essential things: to provide meaning, to build memory and empathy, to become an antidote to propaganda. When we tell our stories, we postpone, in a way, the end. In today’s world, this is more important than ever. It is an honor for us that Bulgarian literature will be at the center of Bookfest 2026. Let us share our stories and listen to yours. Happy New Year!”

&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. Contemporary Bulgarian writers enjoy global attention, and their works are increasingly appearing in the international publishing space. An important moment was the winning of the International Booker Prize by Georgi Gospodinov in 2023, as well as the nomination of Rene Karabash for this year's edition. In the period 2024-2026, numerous books were translated and published abroad, strengthening the presence of Bulgarian literature in the world. Authors and translators are also increasingly appreciated through nominations and awards such as the European Literature Prize and PEN, and visual artists participate in international exhibitions and book fairs.

„The international success of Bulgarian authors is not the result of a single event, but of a sustained evolution over time. An important role was played by award-winning translations, but also by constant cultural activities carried out for over two decades: talent discovery programs, translators' academies, literary festivals and cultural exchanges. Events such as the Sofia International Literature Festival, the Black Sea Festival and « Plovdiv Reads» have attracted increasing international interest from writers, publishers and cultural professionals, contributing to the current visibility of Bulgarian literature.

For Bookfest we focused on inviting important names from our contemporary literary scene, who have not only been highly appreciated and recognized locally, but have also recently been translated with new books into Romanian, such as Georgi Gospodinov, Ioanna Elmy, Elena Alexieva, Nadejda Radulova, Kostadin Kostadinov, Emil Andreev, Ivan Stankov. We will, of course also one of the most outstanding children's writers: Petya Kokudeva.” – Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Bulgaria.

Bulgaria's participation as a 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 on trends in the publishing field. Grant opportunities and funding programs will also be addressed, as well as topics related to residencies for writers and translators, literary festivals and exchange programs. The program will also include a presentation of the calendar of events, which reflects the diversity and scope of cultural activities.

More information about the special guests and the program of the invited country, soon, on bookfest.ro.

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The 19th edition of the Bookfest International Book Fair will take place at Romexpo between June 3-7, 2026. The visiting program is between 10:00-20:00, for Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, and 10:00-21:00, for Fridays and Saturdays.

The Bulgarian stand, created with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Bulgaria and organized by the Bulgarian Book Association (BBA), will be located in Pavilion B2. At the stand, visitors will find a varied selection of books in Bulgarian, as well as Romanian editions of famous Bulgarian books. The project partners are the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Bulgaria, the National Palace of Culture – Sofia Congress Center, the Bulgarian News Agency, the Bulgarian Book Association (BBA), the Sofia Literary Agency and the „Reading Sofia” Foundation.

Contact person for the project „Bulgaria, guest country of honor”:

• Headsome Communication: Oana Boca Stănescu | +40 722 609 478, oana@headsome.ro