On April 24, despite the overnight shelling of Kyiv, the third book festival "Book Country" kicked off at the VDNH. This season’s theme is "spring, flowers, and books".

The festival utilizes 7 pavilions of the exhibition center, featuring tents for workshops and traditional stalls with books from various publishers and bookstores. Overall, 72 publishers, 9 bookstores, 10 educational spaces, and 16 charitable initiatives participate in the festival.

Organizers have also created photo zones with giant flowers, interactive floral installations, and photo mirrors adorned with floral designs.

The program of the spring "Book Country" includes over 300 events: book presentations, author meetings, workshops, discussions, open book club sessions, and awards for book bloggers.

This year, the military pavilion #Frontmen has expanded its program. It will feature not only book presentations and author meetings but also a special segment for combat poetry, theatrical performances, and a cluster of contemporary drama. The pavilion includes a thematic display of war literature and readings with veterans.

In particular, in Pavilion No. 4, where thematic events of the #Frontmen program take place, you can attend:

• April 25, Hall 1, 18:00 - Presentation of the book by veteran Alina Sarnatska "Who united love and courage. LGBTQI+ veterans in the Russo-Ukrainian War"
• April 25, Hall 1, 19:30 - Military stand-up performance "Unborn for War" by Yevhen Avdiyenko and director Anatoliy Neyolov.
• April 26, Hall 1, 14:00 - Reading Marathon of Military Poetry FRONTMEN non-stop (will last all day).

Other pavilions also have a rich program planned.

• April 25, Pavilion No. 1, 16:00 - Discussion "The Image of a Child with Disabilities in Ukrainian Literature"

• April 25, Pavilion No. 4, 17:00 - Presentation "Memory as Action: A New Memorial Culture in Ukraine". How we honor those we cannot forget

• April 26, Workshop Tent from 11:00 - Calligraphic signing of books, painting eco-bags, silk printing, and other activities.

• April 26, Pavilion No. 1, 13:00 - Presentation of the new novel by Georgi Gospodinov "Natural Novel".

Find the full event program on the festival's website.