Sweden is guest of honour at Children's Book Fair in Bologna

Sweden will be the guest of honour at the international Children's Book Fair in Bologna, Italy, in March 2013. The Swedish Arts Council (Kulturrådet) announced this today at a press conference in Gothenburg.

"We have been given a unique opportunity to showcase Swedish children's and young adult literature in an international context. The rights of children and young people are central to Sweden's cultural policy," says Minister for Culture Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth. 

The Bologna Children's Book Fair is the world's most important international arena for books for children and young adults. For many years, the Swedish Arts Council, the authority responsible for Sweden's participation, has worked with Bologna in connection with the announcement of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award.

"We are responsible for the world's largest prize for children’s and young adult literature and we now see this as a further opportunity to promote Swedish literature and to encourage children and young adults to read.  We are extremely pleased about being the guest of honour at the Bologna Fair," says Kennet Johansson, Director General of the Swedish Arts Council.

As guest of honour, Sweden will be presenting a major exhibition of contemporary Swedish illustrators. The selection will be made by a jury appointed by the Swedish Arts Council. In connection with the exhibition, seminars are planned with Swedish authors and illustrators.

The initiative begins during the 2012 Bologna Children’s Book Fair, where the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award will be presented for the tenth time and celebrated with an anniversary exhibition. During the fair, the 2012 award recipient will also be announced.    

Roberta Chinni, responsible for the Bologna Children’s Book Fair:
"We are really looking forward to further cooperation with the Swedish Arts Council. The announcement of the winners has been one of the fair's highlights. We are very excited about the 2013 programme as it gives us the opportunity to see and learn more about Swedish children's and young adult literature.

Further information: 

Rebecka Svensén
Director of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award
Telephone: +46-(0)8-519 264 20

Helene Oljons
Press Secretary the Swedish Arts Council
Telephone: +46- (0)8-519 264 25