The international children's book fair in Bologna began on March 31, with 25 publishing houses representing Ukraine, as reported by the Ukrainian Book Institute.

The Ukrainian national stand features illustrations by Oleksandr Shatochin from the book "Yellow Butterfly". It also includes postcards that inform about the deceased and deported Ukrainian children, as well as destroyed libraries.

Deputy Director of the Ukrainian Book Institute for international cooperation Olena Odynoka noted that the first day of the fair attracted representatives from the Federation of European Publishers and other cultural organizations.

“We aim to inform the international audience about the challenges faced by Ukraine, particularly in the book sector. Engaging partners to support Ukrainian culture is crucial as it contributes to our struggle,” said Olena Odynoka.

This year, organizers paired 20th-century illustrators with contemporary artists to showcase continuity in art.

“We have a powerful illustration school that has been attempted to be appropriated by others. Our task is to restore and promote this heritage, showing that Ukrainian culture is rich and unique,” explained Olena Staranchuk, co-curator of Pictoric.

“The design of the stand is my project. We aimed to make it bright and reflective of our reality. It worked, as it draws attention. The theme of war remains key for us, but we also understand the importance of familiarizing the international audience with the depth of Ukrainian culture,” added Staranchuk.

On the first day of the fair, a panel discussion titled “Malyopys: Ukrainian Comics During War” took place, discussing the history of comics in Ukraine and the new work by Mariam Nayem titled “A Short History of a Long War”.

“Ukrainian comics are still a new phenomenon for the international audience. We are bringing very diverse projects – both for children and adults. We’re eager to see how they will be received. We are also actively promoting the term ‘malyopys’ to foreigners, explaining what it means and how Ukrainian comics differ to highlight their uniqueness,” explained Hanna Tkach, literary manager at the OVO literary agency.

Tkach noted that the panel also addressed how Ukrainians are aware of their trauma and work through it.

“It cannot be said that Europeans view Ukrainian narratives skeptically, but they often interpret them through our trauma lens. There is a belief that our perspective might be exaggerated due to our experiences, so it’s important to discuss this with the international audience,” concluded the literary manager.

The Bologna Children's Book Fair, established in 1964, has become a creative hub for publishers, illustrators, designers, translators, librarians, and other publishing professionals.