The 52nd International Book Fair Opens at the National Palace of Culture

The 52nd International Book Fair has opened at the National Palace of Culture (NDK), turning the venue into the country’s largest literary space until Sunday. More than 150 publishers are taking part, showcasing over 100,000 titles. The fair and its accompanying literary festival will run through the weekend.

Writer and director Yordan Slaveykov welcomed the event, noting a strong culture of reading despite common assumptions:

“People do read. Contrary to all those statistics suggesting that Bulgarians don’t read — they do. The fair begins today, one of my favourite times of the year,” he said.

Student Niya Gugusheva added that younger parents are increasingly encouraging reading among their children:

“There’s a trend of young parents buying books for their kids. Many want their children not to be so absorbed by phones. The obsession is still there — phones, tablets, laptops — but books aren’t being pushed into the background,” she said.

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