The island’s next generation may be turning the page on poor reading habits
Despite Cyprus being ranked as one of the lowest in Europe for book spending and literacy rates, you’d never guess it if you attended the Nicosia Book Fest!
This weekend’s event, now in its second day, was going strong at Acropolis Park this morning with hundreds of people of all ages celebrating the joy of books.
The festival, which began at 10 am on Sunday, saw an influx of attendees within the first half hour, mostly families with young children.
They strolled past booths, chatting with booksellers and authors, while browsing literature from bookshops and publishers across the island, including The Soloneion, Moufflon, Parga, Agrotis, Ant Comics, and Armida Books.
Literature in multiple languages was on offer: everything from Greek to English to Ukrainian and Bulgarian. And, at the China-Cyprus Cultural Tourism Association booth, visitors were fascinated by a demonstration of traditional Chinese crafts, with several trying their hand at calligraphy.
Later today, various local and foreign authors will take to the main stage, introducing their works and discussing their creative processes. And, at 6.45pm, the Book Fest will see a collective of authors discussing the impact of trauma on their writing in an anniversary tribute to the 50th anniversary of the coup and Turkish invasion.
Beyond the books, literary-themed tote bags, bookmarks, and hand-sewn book bags were available for purchase. And, in a shaded corner, a crowd of children enjoyed a storytelling session, their laughter echoing through the park.
Cyprus’ next generation are, it seems, going to be readers!
The Nicosia Book Fest 2024 runs until 10 pm on Sunday