Bookfest International Book Fair launched in Chisinau; Moldovan president: ''Books represent an antidote to lies"

The Bookfest International Book Fair in Chisinau has been launched at the Mediacor center of the State University of Moldova (USM). Attending the opening of the event, President Maia Sandu emphasized the importance of reading, noting that "books represent an antidote to lies and misinformation." 

"Bookfest has already become a tradition in Chisinau, a project that shows us how powerful culture is when it brings us together. The book is an antidote to lies, teaches us to think for ourselves, not to be swayed by rumors, not to believe the first story thrown at us. Literature gives us time, helps us to judge more clearly, to choose right from wrong, helps us to make the correct choice. Every page read is a small victory against manipulation and every honest author strengthens our community. The truth does not come quickly and it does not come easily, but without truth there is no freedom. The book is one of the surest paths to truth," said the Moldovan president.







President of Romania Nicusor Dan sent a message on the occasion of the opening of the Bookfest International Book Fair in Chisinau, highlighting the importance of reading and cultural dialogue between Romania and Moldova, stressing the book's role as a bridge of language, identity and European affiliation.

"I was pleased to give this great book festival my high patronage, together with  President of Moldova Maia Sandu. We continue a tradition of dialogue and support for books in Romanian on both sides of the Prut River, recognizing culture as a factor of unity, solidarity, development and affirmation of our common, democratic and European aspirations. Thanks to books, we find ourselves and can dialogue in freedom, share our ideas and understand beyond the iron curtain of ideology, war, prejudice, and manipulation. Often in history, books have been censored, banned, even burned by dictators who resorted instead to pressure, violence and crime. We remember the years of communist dictatorship, when writing or reading a book was a risk. Today, we have the freedom to read and take books as allies in knowing and affirming the truth. We must trust books, seek the light of their spirit, which can restore our clarity and discernment. In the context of the privileged relations cultivated by Romania and Moldova, the book does not remain just a cultural product, but becomes a bridge of language, identity and European belonging. I hope that the talks, meetings and discussions hosted by Bookfest Chisinau will provide an authentic agora in which we will share our ideas, aspirations and future projects," reads the Romanian president's message.





In recent years, the achievements and impact of recent editions on authors, critics, and readers of Moldova have been highlighted by Minister of Culture Sergiu Prodan, who referred to the importance of reading and the festival as a platform for promoting the Romanian literature:

"The future cannot be promoted and cannot be accessed if we do not also take into account our past. In these eight years, we can mark the important things that have been achieved at the Bookfest festival. The most important thing, I believe for us, those from Moldova, is last year's edition of the Bucharest festival, where Moldova was the guest of honor. Thanks to this platform, our authors, our literary critics, as well as our readers and publishers had the opportunity to showcase both the quality of the writing and the quality of the publications, editions and books themselves. And I repeat, every time, this exercise itself is extremely important, when a person, a man or a child, picks up a book and browses it."



The general director with powers of State Secretary of the Department for Relation with Moldova of Romania’s government (DRRM), Constantin-Valentin Raducanu, touched upon the importance of the Bookfest International Book Fair in Chisinau, He emphasized the scale of the event, the participation of established publishers and authors, and the Romanian government's involvement in supporting this cultural holiday.

"This is an event awaited by all of us, an event during which publishers from both sides of the Prut and established authors gather. It is an event at which I urge you to participate. Until Sunday, there will be intense activities, book launches and many other events. It is for the fourth consecutive year that the Romanian government, through the Department for Relations with Moldova, finances this international book fair, a hallmark of Romanian culture and identity and we want to continue participating alongside institutional partners in organizing this event here," said Constantin-Valentin Raducanu.





  The fair brings together major publishers from Romania and Moldova, with book launches, debates, and meetings with renowned authors.







The event is organized by the National Library of Moldova, State University of Moldova, Union of Publishers, Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Association of Romanian Publishers. It is financed by the Department for Relations with Moldova, in partnership with the Ministry of Culture of Romania and the Ministry of Culture of Moldova.