On October 15, the grand opening of Ukraine's national stand at the Frankfurt Book Fair took place, organized by the Ukrainian Book Institute with support from the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Goethe-Institut in Ukraine, the Ukrainian Institute, and the Art Arsenal.

Acting Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications, Tetiana Berezhna, emphasized that Ukraine's participation in the Frankfurt Book Fair is an opportunity to remind the world of the significance of the Ukrainian voice and to showcase that our literature is an integral part of European culture. “Despite systemic threats from the aggressor, the Ukrainian publishing sector continues to show resilience, restoring damaged publishing capacities and launching new book projects,” she stated.

The opening was attended by representatives from international institutions, including Wolfram Weimer, who highlighted the ongoing collaboration between Germany and Ukraine in cultural projects and called for proposals regarding the potential Kyiv Biennale in Berlin.

He remarked, “Putin's war is an attack not only on territory but also on European values. When Ukraine defends its freedom, it also defends our shared ideals. Therefore, support must not only be military; we also support you in the cultural sphere, as this is also a front.”

Christian Ebert stressed that Russian aggression destroys libraries and printing houses in Ukraine, but the country's response is here, at the international fair: “Literature cannot be silenced. This stand is a place of hope and meetings for authors, translators, and readers.”

Peter Kraus von Kleff noted that war cannot simply be described; it must be documented, citing Victoria Amelina, who through her posthumously published German book, tells the stories of women activists and lawyers documenting Russian crimes.

The Ukrainian delegation presented the national stand, including Ukraine's Ambassador to Germany, Oleksii Makeiev, Deputy Director for International Cooperation at the Ukrainian Book Institute, Olena Odynka, Director of the International Book Festival “Book Arsenal,” Yulia Kozlovets, and Head of Communications at Goethe-Institut in Ukraine, Maria Shubchyk.

Oleksii Makeiev expressed gratitude to everyone working to ensure Ukraine is well represented at the Frankfurt Book Fair. He emphasized that books and literature are the foundation of everything: “Through literature, the Ukrainian history and soul are revealed anew, honestly, and deeply.”

Olena Odynka highlighted that despite the war, Ukrainian publishers are demonstrating resilience: they are ramping up efforts, releasing new books, seeking partners, and expanding their presence abroad.

This year’s focus theme for Ukraine's participation at the Frankfurt Book Fair is Filling in. The national stand, designed based on the ornaments of Vasyl Krychevsky, showcases 300 books from 38 Ukrainian publishers.

As part of the Ukrainian program, over 30 events will take place. The detailed program of events at the Ukrainian national stand is available via the link. It has been made possible with the support of various organizations. The Frankfurt Book Fair is one of the largest and most influential book forums in the world, attracting tens of thousands of visitors and participants annually.