Fw: 53rd Frankfurt Book Fair proves itself as trading centre betweencultures.

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Teveli Judit
----- Original Message -----
From: Frankfurt Book Fair <press at book-fair.com>
To: <Teveli at axelero.hu>
Sent: Monday, October 15, 2001 1:56 PM
Subject: 53rd Frankfurt Book Fair proves itself as trading centre
betweencultures.


> Press Information
>
>
> 53rd Frankfurt Book Fair proves itself as trading centre
> between cultures.
>
> International publishing community draws closer together in
> the face of current political events.
>
> Peace Prize presented to Juergen Habermas.
> Oct 15, 2001 (501 words)
>
> Frankfurt (fbm)    The 53rd Frankfurt Book Fair, ending
> today, was an occasion when the international publishing
> community drew closer together. In the face of current
> political developments, the Book Fair proved to be an
> important global trading centre between cultures and a venue
> for dialogue. Books demonstrated their symbolic power as a
> medium for authentic exchange of views and ideas. Politicians
> such as Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer and Minister of
> State Julian Nida-Ruemelin took the opportunity of the Book
> Fair to emphasise the importance of the printed word for
> freedom of speech and the values of democracy.
>
>  Despite the tense political background, the first three
> trade days at the Book Fair were dedicated to international
> trade in rights and licences. Naturally enough, there was
> particular interest this year in themes providing the
> insights that could promote better understanding of current
> events, as well as in issues of religion. Publishing
> companies from the Arab region, as well as from Southern
> Asia, the Middle East and Africa, attracted a great deal of
> interest. Long term activities of the Frankfurt Book Fair
> helped to establish a tightly knit network of professional
> contacts and relationships.
>
>    The international participation which was very high as
> usual made again a profitable licence trading fair possible.
> We had less cancellations in  the last weeks before the
> opening of the Frankfurt Book Fair as we expected due to the
> political situation. Only 56 out of 6,700 registered
> exhibitors from 105 countries cancelled, among them 34 coming
> from publishers and agents in the USA. The volume and quality
> of business deals was barely affected by the cancellations.
> Individual withdrawals from Eastern Asia, in particular from
> Japan, do indicate on the other hand that more needs to be
> done in the years ahead on developing professional dialogue
> in these regions as well.
>
>    Guest of Honour Greece was very successful with the public
> at the Frankfurt Book Fair. More than 40 translations of
> recent Greek literature were presented by German publishing
> houses. The presentation of a very diverse cultural
> exhibition with spectacular use of multimedia impressed in
> the newly constructed "Forum". All in all, 45,000 visitors
> attended the Greek presentation.
>
>    As had been expected, total attendance at the 53rd
> Frankfurt Book Fair until Sunday evening was 14 per cent
> lower than last year with 247.117 visitors, caused by a
> generally reserved attitude among the public towards big
> events. The extensive security arrangements in place for the
> Frankfurt Book Fair were generally accepted by both public
> and exhibitors. There were no incidents.
>
>    The presentation on Sunday of the Peace Prize of the
> German Book Trade to Juergen Habermas honoured a political
> thinker "who is regarded by a worldwide readership as the
> leading German philosopher of the epoch" (in the words of the
> jury). In his acceptance speech, Juergen Habermas referred to
> the obligation of secular societies to enter into dialogue
> with religious believers. His words met with a wide
> international response as the philosophical justification for
> seeking to achieve cultural dialogue across all boundaries.
>
> October 15, 2001
>
>
>
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