Riga Book Festival at National Library to offer over 30 events and international reading symposium

The Riga Book Festival, an annual literary event, will be held on 6 and 7 November at the National Library of Latvia in Riga. Besides a book market, the programme includes more than 30 events: meetings with authors, lectures, discussions and workshops. Admission is free. Organisers say the event is increasingly resembling a festival, as literature is discussed both through talks about specific books and in academic debates on the future of language and nation in the digital age.

Participants and programme

Edīte Alksne, executive director of the Latvian Publishers Association, says 33 publishers are taking part this year, along with several non-governmental organisations, including the "Laiks lasīt" (Time to Read) movement, the "Baltijas Vides forums" society and the "Latvijas skolas soma" programme. A book exchange point will also operate, where visitors can leave or take a book.

Special talks will cover topics such as what coats of arms say about Latvia's regions, how to write a psychological love novel, and who reads academic literature and why. A workshop on reading the shortest poems will be held. New books will be presented by Vilis Kasims (the novel "Marijas stāsts"), Georgs Rubenis ("Sīpoli, dimanti un citi brīnumi") and Jānis Buholcs (the monograph "Sociālo mediju laikmets"). Meetings are also planned with Vita Kalniņa, Lelde Kovaļova and Dace Judina.

Foreign guests

Three foreign writers will share how they became authors: Estonian Anti Saar, Lithuanian Akvilina Cicėnaitė and Lawrence Schimel, an American author living in Spain. Finnish author Maria Niskavaara, whose novel has sold translation rights in 30 languages, and Italian writer Donatella di Pietrantonio will also attend; the latter will meet readers together with translator Dace Meiere.

A broad programme is planned for children and young people: book openings by Signe Ērmane and Ilze Skrastiņa, creative workshops with Daina Tabūna, Marina Heniņa and other children's authors, and the puppet show "Moļļa Ziemīši".

International symposium

Book industry professionals will gather for a symposium where one of the main questions is the importance of reading for the survival of every nation and language. Dagnija Baltiņa, director of the National Library, says a reading strategy is being developed. Speakers from Finland, Norway and Ukraine will take part, along with Latvian partners who will discuss reading in workplaces and companies.