The 2024 Book Fair opened its doors to the public on Wednesday, November 13, bringing together around 95 exhibitors, many of whom are publishers.

Petrit Ymeri, the President of the Albanian Publishers Association, discussed the importance of promoting books for the future in an interview with RTSH 24. He stressed that schools and families are the two key fronts in this effort. Ymeri highlighted the critical role of schools in shaping young minds and guiding them toward a brighter future. However, he expressed concern that, for various reasons, family attention toward children has diminished in recent years, which in turn impacts their care and development.

Ymeri called for a national strategy to promote books, not just in Albania but also in Albanian-speaking regions of Macedonia and Montenegro, where the promotion of Albanian literature is still weak. He noted that while the situation in Albania and Kosovo is different, such a strategy is a proven approach in developed countries to advance education, culture, and literature.

Additionally, Ymeri pointed out Albania’s longstanding participation in European institutions that support translations and publications. He mentioned programs like ‘Creative Europe’ (launched in 2014) and ongoing collaborations with European institutions, which help raise awareness of Albanian authors while also introducing Albanian readers to diverse cultures and literary works from abroad.

He also emphasized that these European funds play a vital role in strengthening Albania’s publishing sector, without which the industry would be considerably weaker.

/a.p./