Vilnius Book Fair: let's learn not only to read books, but also to learn from them

The program of the Vilnius Book Fair will include a variety of events every year - not only meetings with the authors of popular fiction books, but also presentations of scientific monographs and publications dedicated to the country's science, history, culture and art. The educational function of the fair is no less important than the fellowship of readers and authors, according to the press release of the organizers. 

For the tenth time, visitors to the Vilnius Book Fair will be welcomed by the Library Space created by the country's librarians at the Lithuanian Exhibition and Congress Center "Litexpo" on February 23-26. This is another space for reading, communication and events, where guests of the fair are invited to engage in creative activities, educational games and other playful activities. Creative graphics, ex-libris, diaries, postcard production workshops, the opportunity to view and use digitized cultural heritage will be waiting here.

Nearly 20 libraries from all over Lithuania, the National Museum of Lithuania, the Office of the Chief Archivist of Lithuania, the History of the State of Lithuania and the Central State Archives of Lithuania will participate in the library space.

A large game dice attracts the eye and encourages you to try the game / LAB archive photo. At the stands of the fair, it will be possible to find higher education institutions, museums from all over Lithuania, the National Opera and Ballet Theatre, publishers of culture, art publications, encyclopedias, religious literature, the Genocide and Resistance Research Center of the Lithuanian population, tourism information centers of Lithuanian cities, support funds, religious denominations representatives, the Lithuanian Rifle Association and even a model of a steam locomotive.

This year, the fair pays a lot of attention to the country's history lessons, science, and biographical books," says Rūta Elijošaitytė-Kaikarė, one of the organizers of the fair, head of the Lithuanian Publishers Association. - We will discuss the reading habits of young people, of course, a lot of attention will be paid to Vilnius - and not only in the Discussion Club, this emphasis will also be evident in many conversations and meetings at the fair.

Words and books - for the anniversary of Vilnius

The 700th anniversary of Vilnius is one of the most important topics at the Vilnius Book Fair. The anniversary of the city encourages us to think about the history of our capital in the context of Lithuanian, European and world history. A multicultural, tolerant city created over centuries and today inseparable from the desire for freedom and peace, from self-expression, from gatherings and discussions about its future.

There will be many discussions and conversations about the past, present and future of Vilnius at this year's Vilnius Book Fair. One such - "Better in Vilnius than in Versailles?" is organized by the National Museum of the Palace of the Rulers of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Albinas Kuncevičius, head of the Department of Archeology of Vilnius University, professor, Doctor of Humanities, Dovilė Urbonavičiūtė-Jankauskienė, archeologist of the House of Lords, archaeologists Egidijus Ožalas, Irena Kaminskaitė will take part in the discussion.

Architectural historian, professor Marija Drėmaitė, art historian, cultural historian Rasa Antanavičiūtė, art historian, exhibition curator Giedrė Jankevičiūtė, rector of Vilnius University, professor Rimvydas Petrauskas will talk about Vilnius and Vilnius people in the discussion "Civis Vilnensis Sum".

Gedimina's dream / Photo of the organizers.

The alternative history of our capital will be presented at the discussion club by history professor Alfredas Bumblauskas, archaeologist professor Aleksiejus Luchtanas, and historian Eugenijus Savisčevs. They will be brought together and the discussion will be moderated by the historian, book author Aurimas Švedas.

Several new books about Vilnius will be presented at the book fair - "Vilniaus sekretai" published by "Slinkyts" publishing house, compiled by Lina Laura Švedaitė. Residential districts of the capital: to absorb and become aware", the book "Tastes of Old Vilnius" by Rimvydas Laužiks, Antanas Astrauskas, Aliaksanders Bely and Tomas Rimydis, published by the Vilnius University Publishing House, "The Art of Vilnius" by R. Paknis Publishing House (authors Mikalojus Vorobjovas, Janas Bulhakas, Giedrė Jankevičiūtė , Tomas Venclova, etc.). At the presentation of this book, which will be moderated by Donatas Puslys, it will be possible to listen to one of the book's authors - Tomas Venclova.

Even if you can't read, you really can

Director of the Lithuanian Audiosensory Library Inga Davidonienė believes that everyone can read. It is only for each reader to discover the right way and form. "No matter how unusual it sounds, the reader of the Lithuanian Audiosensory Library is someone who cannot read. Our library adapts publications to those who cannot read due to physical health, vision, development or learning disabilities, creates educations, together with partners initiates projects that help them access information", says LAB director I.Davidonienė.

At the Vilnius Book Fair, the largest library, which many people know better by its old name - the Lithuanian Library of the Blind - has a new feature - the ELVIS bus of the audio book library, which will go to Lithuanian towns after the fair, where it will present audio books and wordless education prepared together with the Labirintas Center for Learning Specialties. "What's Hiding on the Bookshelves." It sends the message that all children can play together - both those who can read regular books and those who don't listen to audiobooks. The colored bus will be waiting in hall 3, at the very end of the corridor.

In hall 5, visitors will find the stand of the virtual library ELVIS and all relevant information about dyslexia and reading disorders. Here, visitors to the fair will be able to read the publications published by the library, which will help them understand how people with various disabilities or disorders see the pages of a book, as well as learn about audio books and their benefits for people with reading disabilities, hear about the formats of publications and the library's collections, which include 16 thousand publications.

In the educational space, all days of the fair, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., children with reading difficulties are invited to play the game "What's hiding on the bookshelves". Visual and audio information will allow children to open up, get involved, become active, learn to work in a team and experience a sense of pride in their knowledge.

Live poetry / Photo of the organizers.

And maybe even encourage you to read the book! Skaidra Grabauskienė, the head librarian of the LAB Kaunas branch, the creator of the education, says: "It's amazing that we managed to create an education that not only encourages children to read, but also makes them talk. During the game, even the most timid children begin to roll the dice and answer questions."

Readers' choices are determined by world events

The Science and Encyclopedia Publishing Center is an integral part of the National Library, so the joint stand of the National Library and the Science and Encyclopedia Publishing Center will be open at the Vilnius Book Fair. As every year, the National Library will present new publications and invite you to participate in more than 30 events and initiatives this year.

"Global current events also determine readers' choices. We see an increased interest in the history of Ukraine, as well as more interest in military history and warfare. In general, it can be said that historical books have remained extremely popular for many years. Another category of books is psychological and self-help literature", - Nacionalinė reviews book trends director general of the library prof. Dr. Renaldas Gudauskas. He claims that it has become common to look for encyclopedic knowledge, reference books and dictionary information mostly on the Internet. "On the one hand, the Internet opens up very wide opportunities, on the other hand, it also poses certain challenges. For example, libraries are actively involved in media and information literacy activities aimed at providing Internet users with the necessary skills for information search and critical selection," says the head of the National Library.

The joint stand of the National Library and the Science and Encyclopedia Publishing Center at the fair will present the second edition of Marija Gimbutienė's "Senosios Europos", the republished and fictionalized story of the Klaipėda region and Lithuania "Pūga prie Mēmelio" by Alfonso Eidintas. Readers will find here MKČiurlionis' "Photography", Karaim encyclopedia "Karaj ėdim, karaj barmyn / I was a Karaim, I will be a Karaim", "Jakūbas Geištor's memoirs". 1857-1865", Volume I of "Lithuanian Foreign Policy Documents", which covers the years 1917-1920, Simon Jenkins' "A Short History of England" and other news.

Gedimin's letters, "Auszra" anniversary and translation challenges

"If you want something fresh and real at the fair, visit the stand of the Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore in the third hall and the dozen or so events we have prepared for the fair. It's not just presentations. These include poetry readings, discussions, and even lessons in reading Gediminas' letters in Latin," promises Gytis Vaškelis, head of the Institute's Publishing Department.

Immediately after the opening of the fair, the institute invites you to the presentation of perhaps the most interesting project of the last year. "This year marks the 140th anniversary of the publication of the first issue of Auszra. On the initiative of His Excellency the President Gitan Nausėda and our cultural benefactor - Pranas Kiznis - we will be able to enjoy the reprint edition of the "Auszra" set and the accompanying book - an anthology of articles and adapted texts.

At the same time, we will present the website www.šaltiniai.info working e-mail. a variant where, in addition to the Auszros numbers, you will also be able to discover the lesser-known three-year Auszros calendars. This spring, the set will be given free of charge to Lithuanian schools, universities and libraries, Lithuanian cultural Lithuanian centers abroad. At the fair, we will announce a subscription and it will be possible to order very limited edition "Auszros" sets", G. Vaškelis announces the biggest news of his stand.

On Friday, the well-received memoirs "Our Irena. "Memories about Irena Veisaitė" presentation. Publicist Donatas Puslys, literary scholar dr. Reda Pabarčienė, essayist, culturist Vytautas Toleikis, economist Diana Vilytė and her other colleagues and friends.

An important event is also intended for lovers of Lithuanian songs. Unsurpassed professional folklorists Živilė Ramoškaitė, Elena Bradūnaitė, Jurga Ūsaitytė and Austė Nakienė will present a trio of national songs collected by Teodor Brazis and a book with Lithuanian songs collected in the USA. During the presentation, they will show you how to perform the songs correctly.

On Saturday, the day of the fair, the institute will finish in the largest conference hall 5.1, when the commotion has died down. Gedimin's letters will be read here. They will be taught to read Latin by Lithuanian literary historian, bibliographer, translator, dr. Sigitas Narbutas and philologist dr. Asta Vaškelienė.

After the readings, the letters will be discussed by dr. S. Narbutas, cultural history researcher Darius Kuolys and historian dr. Darius Baron.

Readers can expect the presentations of at least several relevant scientific monographs: literary experts, dr. Žydronė Kolevinskienė's "Own Voices: Women's Creativity in the Diaspora", Lithuanian literary historian dr. Aušra Jurgutienė's "Notes of Deconstructive Readings", Lithuanian literature researcher Dr. Dalia Dilytė's "Outings of Donelaitis's Creation and Its Dissemination" and literary scholar Viktorija Šeina's "Lituvian Literary Canon Workshop".

The Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore organizes an informal discussion at the fair "Lithuanian literature in English translations: challenges and perspectives", in which translators from various countries will participate: Marius Burokas, Karla Gruodis, Rimas Užgiris, Birutė Šležas, the discussion will be moderated by Žydronė Kolevinskienė.

Warnings about propaganda, the king's physician and MKČiurlionis

The publishing house of Vilnius University counts the traditions of academic publishing from the year 1575. "Vilnius University Publishing House is the leader of academic publishing houses not only in Lithuania, where in terms of the number of published book titles it is in the top ten of all publishing houses in Lithuania, including commercial publishing houses, but also in the Baltic countries.

We constantly publish scientific, informational, representational, science popularization books, study literature, scientific periodicals, doctoral theses, - says Asta Urbanavičiūtė-Globienė, VU publishing house's sales manager. "We present our publications not only at the Vilnius Book Fair, but also at the world's largest book fairs in Frankfurt and London."

This year, the Vilnius University Publishing House will present 7 books at the events of the fair - the book "Caution - Propaganda" by journalist, information warfare specialist, doctor of philosophy Mantas Martišiaus, "Niccolo Buccella: Prisoner of the Inquisition, King's Physician" by literary scholar and cultural expert Dainora Pociūtė. Heterodoxy, medicine and Italian exile in the 16th century. in the second half", information and communication professor Arvydas Pacevičius "Vilnius Imperial University in the grip of scientific information (1803–1832)", "Politics and morality: an ontological perspective" by Alvydas Jokubaitis, Simos Čelutkas, Aistė Noreikaitė, "Between vocation and profession" by Raimonda Ragauskienė, Deimantas Karvelis, Aivas Ragauskas. Evangelical Reformed clergy in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the 16th-18th centuries."

At the publisher's stand, it will be possible to talk with the book "Sociolinguistic Lithuanian panorama. Linguistic attitudes and linguistic behavior of the population" authored by linguist, prof. Meilute Ramoniene, Doctor of Humanities Egle Gudavičiene, Inga Hilbig, Kristina Jakaite-Bulbukiene, prof. Loretta Vilkiene.

Even the quietest children get involved in the education of What's hiding on the bookshelves / LAB archive photo.

Thoughts on freedom, political communication and violence against women

A large group of Vytautas Magnus University community members, academics, and professors will share their thoughts at the fair's discussions and book presentations. The university community will also present the most interesting novelties of its books to the visitors of the fair.

Professor of philosophy, cultural theorist, anthropologist Gintautas Mažeikis invites you to the discussion "For your and our freedom" on the Thursday of the fair, which will be guided by the texts of the book of the same name by Mykola Porovskis, a member of the board of the People's Movement of Ukraine, one of the leaders of the Lithuanian Support Committee in Ukraine, and this current events in Ukraine.

Honorary doctor of Vytautas the Great University, professor, MEP Liudas Mažylis will invite you to speak on the same day about how important it is to protect and defend freedom, democracy, independence and respectful relations between states.

In the discussion "From the Council of Lithuania to the European Parliament", the professor will also refer to his diary, a member of the European Parliament, whose central theme is the defense of European and humane values, the actions of the European Parliament in support of Ukraine.

Lithuanian political scientist, doctor of social sciences, professor of Vytautas the Great University Lauras Bielinis will present his collection "At the intersection of politics and communication: trends, discourses, effects" to those interested in politics and communication on Friday at the Writers' Corner.

Together with the authors of the articles - professor of philosophy G. Mažeikis, professor of the Department of Public Communication of VDU, researcher and media critic Auksa Balčytiene and professor of the Department of Public Communication of VDU Kristina Juraite will discuss political communication, which is becoming one of the most important ways of publicizing a political position and will reveal a wide range of complex communication problems spectrum in politics.

The topic of violence against women will undoubtedly receive a lot of attention. Journalist Rimas Bružas with historian dr. Mingaile Jurkut, dr. Saulius Kaubris and dr. Dovile Sagatiene invites you to Sigita Černevičiūtė and Monika Kareniauskaitė's monograph "Pati kalta?" History of violence against women in the 20th century. in Lithuania" discussion. The authors will present a study that analyzed all forms of violence against women and social practices in Lithuania in the 20th century. The presentation and discussion of the monograph will take place on Friday, in the conference room of Hall 1, 1.3.

Atlas of the Resistance, KGB agents and a set for the anniversary of Rome Kalanta

Aldona Jakavonienė, senior advisor of the Genocide and Resistance Research Center of the Lithuanian Population, says that the LGGRTC Publishing Department provides a huge, simply invaluable service to the nation's historical memory, which is perhaps the only one in Lithuania that purposefully and consistently publishes and distributes scientific, publicist and fiction literature that examines the genocide and resistance of the Lithuanian population. occupation regimes.

Having celebrated its 30th anniversary at the end of last year, the Genocide and Resistance Research Center of the Lithuanian population has published over 250 historical memory publications in Lithuanian, English and other languages. New publications of the center are also presented annually at the Vilnius International Book Fair.

This year, LGGRTC will introduce the book "Juozas Lukša-Daumantas in the memoirs of his wife Nijolė and the testimonies of contemporaries" by publicist Vidmantas Valiušaitis. The theme of the legendary partisan in his book "Juozos Albinos Lukšas-Daumantos 1940-1941 m. pages from the Biography of Juozas Albinas Lukša-Daumantas 1940–1941" is also examined by dr. Alfred Rukšėnas.

Historian dr. Darius Juodis will invite to a discussion about the partisans of the resistance atlas "Partisan region of North-Eastern Lithuania. Atlas, Part 2" was compiled by the staff of the Genocide and Resistance Research Center of the Lithuanian Population: Ramona Stavekkaitė-Notari, Head of the Department of Historical Research Programs of GRTD, historians Rūta Trimonienė, Dalia Žygel, Dalia Urbonienė. The book contains information about the battles and battles that took place in the Green national team, in the territories of Vytautas and Algimantas districts.

In commemoration of the anniversary of the sacrifice of Romo Kalanta, the Genocide and Resistance Research Center of the Lithuanian Population together with the Department of Mobilization and Civil Resistance under the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Lithuania released Dr. The publication "Unarmed Resistance: Assumptions, Experiences, Retrospective Commemorating the Jubilee Year of Romo Kalanta's Sacrifice 1972-2022" compiled by Ramūnas Trimaks. The publication contained the texts of living witnesses, historians who professionally research this topic, and political representatives.

An interesting conversation with the book "Secret KGB accomplices. Activities of agents in the 1950s and 1990s" by dr. Kristina Burinskaite.

"Personally, it was interesting and important for me to reveal this aspect of the KGB's activities shrouded in secrets and myths", says the young researcher, whose intriguing publication could be useful for professional historians, lawyers, political scientists, anthropologists, sociologists and 20th century historians. for lovers of popular Lithuanian history. The event will be moderated by journalist R. Bružas.

At the stand of the Riflemen's Union - the legendary "Trumpet" and survival lessons

The stand of the Lithuanian Rifle Association at the Vilnius Book Fair has already become a tradition. What's more, after the fair, new members sign up for the Sagittarius Union every year. Dovilė Pukertaitė, the editor of the magazine "Trimitas" of the Union of Lithuanian Countries, says that this year the visitors of the fair will also be invited to get acquainted with the activities of shooters, shooters will share their experiences, and will be invited to join the Shooters' Union.

This year, the Union of Archers celebrates the 150th anniversary of the birth of the founder of the union, Vladas Putvinskis-Pūtvis. "We will invite visitors to get acquainted with the ideology of the founder of the union, to find out what the most important oaths he left to shooters to this day," says D. Pukertaitė. She herself will present the more than 100-year-old shooting magazine "Trimitas" at the union's stand, and will invite you to read the issues of the magazine published between the wars.

One of the "Lessons Learned" columns of the "Trimito" magazine will come to life in a discussion about survival, which will be led by survival specialist Gabrielius E. Klimenka. Together with hiker Raimundus Eremins and environmental protection inspector Lauryns Okockis, he will talk about safe behavior in the forest, conservation of nature and survival in extreme situations when modern technologies do not exist. The book-brochure "Lessons Learned" will be presented at the event, which contains articles prepared for "Trimito" magazine.

Among the books is a steam locomotive

At the book fair, you will also be able to find a real model of a steam locomotive - this is how you can get to know the unique object of Lithuanian cultural heritage - the Aukštaitija narrow-gauge railway or Siaurukus, the institution "Aukštaitijas siaurasis geležinkelis" invites you.

"At the beginning of its existence, the narrow-gauge transported various cargoes and passengers. The rise of the narrow gauge railway survived the interwar period, when it was widely used in various branches of the economy. Later, its normal functions began to weaken, until in 2001 it ceased to function as a means of transportation and was established as a historical-tourist train," says Darius Liutikas, head of the institution.

At the Siauruk stand, you will not only be able to take a photo next to the steam locomotive model, but also learn more about the history, innovations, today's travel schedule, holiday trips, the Siauruk pull-out sauna with a hot tub, of this unique object that is included in the list of Lithuanian cultural heritage values.

The 23rd International Vilnius Book Fair - 700 Lines for Freedom - will be held on February 23-26, 2023 at the Litexpo Lithuanian Exhibition and Congress Center. The organizers of the fair are the Association of Lithuanian Publishers, the Lithuanian Institute of Culture and the Lithuanian Exhibition and Congress Center Litexpo.