Maroc - TAIWANTODAY.TW - Top News - 01/Feb 00:00

Taipei International Book Exhibition gets underway

The 2025 Taipei International Book Exhibition kicked off Feb. 4 in Taipei City, showcasing the vibrancy and diversity of Taiwan’s publishing culture, the Ministry of Culture said.   During a press event held the day before, MOC Minister Li Yuan said the TIBE was a very familiar event since, as a writer, he used to deliver speeches and take part in book launches. Isabella Yunyi Wu, chairperson of the event’s organizer Taipei Book Fair Foundation, said the annual exhibition features more than 1,000 activities to offer visitors of all ages a brand new experience to start the year.   Themed “Follow Your Fancy in Reading,” the 33rd edition showcases Italy as the guest of honor with two major themes: the From Illustration to Comics section features art by 30 young cartoonists and illustrators, while the IBBY Italia Choice section presents 60 children’s and illustrated books published in 2023 and 2024.   As a show of support, Marco Lombardi, Italy’s representative to Taiwan, said 11 authors from his home country will attend the book fair in person for discussion and exchange with local counterparts. He invited patrons to experience the Italian lifestyle at the pavilion.   The book fair features 504 local and foreign publishing firms hailing from 29 countries and comprises exhibition theme zones. Among these, the Literary Publishers Zone, which is themed “From Book to Screen,” showcases work from six local publishers that have been adapted as films or TV productions, while Taiwan Comics Pavilion features over 30 popular comic titles to reflect the breadth of creativity.   Three other sections are the Digital Pavilion: The Hotel of Crossed Destinies; Independent Publishers and NGOs Zone: Reading Fashion; and  Children’s Theme Pavilion: Mini Wonderland.   Launched in 1987 by the TBFF under the auspice of the MOC, TIBE is the leading event of its kind in Asia and among the world’s largest such event, alongside the Frankfurt Book Fair, Bologna Children’s Book Fair and BookExpo America. More than 550,000 patrons visited the event last year. (SFC-E)   Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw