In the Messe Frankfurt Agora, a public day at the 2019 Frankfurter Buchmesse. Image: FBM, Anett Weirauch
By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson
ContentShift, Ukraine, the Russian Opposition
As more and more notices of events at Frankfurter Buchmesse (October 19 to 23) arrive, here’s one today (October 10) from the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels, Germany’s publishers and booksellers association.
The announcement goes right to what appears to be the big topics of this year’s trade show: “Rising energy and paper prices,” the messaging from the Börsenverein staff says, “are an economic challenge for publishers and bookstores, and the general reluctance to buy is also making itself felt in the book trade.
“In addition to economic worries, we are concerned with the unsettled world situation. At Buchmesse, we’ll discuss urgent social and political issues, including the war in Ukraine and the Russian opposition.”
Here are several events to which the organization would like to draw the attention of journalists covering the 74th edition of the show, and thus they may well be of interest to regular readers of our trend-driven industry coverage, those who follow the influence of events on the business. All times listed are, of course, in CEST, Central European Summer Time.
Be aware, you may need a good command of German to get the full benefit of these events.
Events in the Spotlight: Thursday, October 20
All times listed are, of course, in CEST, Central European Summer Time.
11 a.m.: ContentShift Accelerator 2022 Award Ceremony
Hall 4.0, Room Europa, Frankfurt Studio
First, the five finalists pitch their ideas in this business-accelerator funding program of the Börsenverein group. The jury then decides who has the best concept for the book and media industry and will be named Content Start-Up of the Year. Our coverage of the ContentShift program is here, and of this year’s five shortlisted start-ups is here.
12:30 p.m.: Volodymyr Zelensky’s Address on Ukraine
Messe Frankfurt Congress Center, Harmonie Hall
As we reported last week, the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, is recording a message for presentation in a cooperative effort between Frankfurter Buchmesse and the Brussels-based Federation of European Publishers (FEP). After the Zelensky video is presented, Mariya Gabriel, the European Union commissioner for research, innovation and education, culture and youth, is to speak. This is a public event (hence the use of Harmonie Hall, a cavernous auditorium).
2:30 p.m.: Discussion: “How Many Are We On the Situation of the Russian Opposition?”
Frankfurt Pavilion (in the Agora)
Speakers include Irina Scherbakow, publicist and human rights activist from Memorial; Leonid Volkov, Navalny confidante and author of Putinland); and Mikhail Shishkin, considered by many to be among the most important Russian authors. The moderator for this program is Sabine Adler, Deutschlandfunk’s Eastern Europe specialist.
More events from various organizations, of course, will appear here in our coverage, and in our special Show Magazine you’ll find waiting for you at Frankfurt.
At Frankfurt, please join us for the inaugural edition of Publishing Perspectives Forum, a two-day program of leading and influential professionals in the international publishing industry discussing today’s challenges, dynamics, and trends.
For example, “Nonfiction Publishing in the Age of Misinformation” looks at how, in a world of misinformation and disinformation–and rushing out research/information before it’s fact-checked–how can publishers maintain the highest editorial and fact-checking standards in long-form writing while keeping up with rapidly changing fields like current affairs, politics, and science? This panel will explore this subject with publishing executives who are dealing with these issues.
- Trasvin Jittidecharak, Founder, Silkworm Books — Thailand
- Niko Pfund, President and Academic Publisher, Oxford University Press USA — United States
- Arabella Pike, Publishing Director, William Collins Books — United Kingdom
- Moderator: Erin L. Cox, US Publicist, Frankfurter Buchmesse — United States
Our program is specifically geared to business interests in the world publishing industry – the issues and challenges facing the book business, from the mounting economic challenges to the competition of entertainment media for the “attention economy” of consumers’ focus.
Attendance is free of charge for all Frankfurter Buchmesse exhibitors and trade visitors. The program language is English. You’ll find full details and developing news here.
Follow our coverage of Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine and its impact on the country’s publishing players and international industry reactions. More on the Ukrainian Book Institute is here.
More from Publishing Perspectives on Frankfurter Buchmesse is here, more on the German book and publishing market is here, and more on book fairs and trade shows in the world publishing industry is here.
More from us on the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on international book publishing is here.