Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Dr. Cemil Tugay opened the Izkitapfest – Izmir Book Fair, which was held in open areas all around Kültürpark this year. Inviting the people of Izmir to Izkitapfest, which can be visited free of charge between 19 and 28 on 10.00-21.00 April, Mayor Cemil Tugay said, “Izmir residents know the joy and value of experiencing a fair in the entire Kültürpark. Now, Izkitapfest has been added to this tradition that we have experienced with the Izmir International Fair, the first fair of our country. "Thanks to the festival we organized with the slogan 'In Kültürpark with the enthusiasm of spring', spring has now come to Kültürpark," he said.
Izkitapfest - Izmir Book Fair, hosted by Izmir Metropolitan Municipality and organized in cooperation with İZFAŞ and SNS Fuarcılık, has started. Izkitapfest, which will meet the readers in Kültürpark with a festival-like organization between 19-28 April 2024, was organized by Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Dr. It was opened hosted by Cemil Tugay. At the opening ceremony held in the inner part of Kültürpark Lausanne Gate, Mayor Tugay presented a plaque to writer Ahmet Ümit and former CHP Zonguldak and İzmir Deputy Kemal Anadol.
Tugay: “Books open us to the world”
Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Dr. Cemil Tugay said, “Today, as we passed through the gates of Kültürpark, the treasure of our Izmir, the place we arrived at was not just Kültürpark. We all stepped into a journey that transcends time and place. So much so that the borders of our park have expanded; It included all times, geographies, the infinity of the universe and all the stories of the world. The ideas produced, emotions, situations, stories, and the entire journey of science and art since the beginning of humanity are here; Inside the gates of Kültürpark today. Because today, we are starting the festival of books. Because books open us to the world,” he said.
“Always stay with the book”
Stating that a new breath has come to publishing with Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Publications, Mayor Cemil Tugay said, “A truly book festival awaits us with more than a thousand events in dozens of genres such as interviews, autograph sessions, concerts, dance and pantomime shows, musicals, theaters and illusionist shows. We will experience a literary meeting in touch with nature in all areas of Kültürpark, from Lausanne to August 26, from Kaskatlı Havuz to Basmane and Atatürk Open Air Theatre. People of Izmir know the joy and value of experiencing a fair throughout Kültürpark. Now, Izkitapfest has been added to this tradition that we have experienced with the Izmir International Fair, the first fair of our country. Thanks to the festival we organized with the slogan 'In Kültürpark with the enthusiasm of spring', spring has now come to Kültürpark! As author Susan Sontag said, 'A book, like a lighthouse, guides us in the dark and shines a light within us.' May your doors always be open to the book; Let books be your lighthouses. He concluded his words by saying, "Always stay with the book."
Ümit: “I will not die without writing about Izmir”
Author Ahmet Ümit, the guest of honor of Izkitapfest, who argues that art and literature should be made compulsory consumption items, said, “It is a wonderful thing to be the guest of honor of the Book Fair in a very meaningful city of Turkey like Izmir. I am always asked this question: 'Aren't you going to write a novel about Izmir? Isn't there a topic in Izmir? Isn't there a topic that interests you in this colorful, vibrant city with a magnificent history?' Don't worry, I won't die without writing about Izmir. I will write a wonderful novel about Izmir, it will be a historical novel and of course it will be about the great Homer, whom we call the first poet of this city. Is there any other solution? Can Izmir be possible without Homer? he said.
Simsaroğlu: “As Izmir residents, we are very lucky”
Saruhan Simsaroğlu, Founding Partner of SNS Fuarcılık, said, “We have been preparing for this fair with a team of 10 people in the field for 100 days. Even the tiredness of Kültürpark is very special and beautiful. As Izmir residents, we are very lucky; after a long time, our book fair is being held in two of the most special places in Turkey. In autumn, Fuar Izmir, in spring, in Kültürpark. "I would like to express my endless gratitude to our President Cemil Tugay, whose support we see and feel at every moment," he said.
Brigade visited the fair
After the opening, Mayor Tugay visited the stands opened in Kültürpark. Many writers and publishing houses gifted books to President Tugay. Stating that they will continue by developing and expanding the fair, Tugay also talked to the little participant of the fair, Poyraz, who said that he wants to be the mayor when he grows up. sohbet did. Tugay wished the participants a good fair and invited the people of Izmir to Kültürpark.
Important names from each other are at Izkitapfest
Izkitapfest, where entrance will be free, can be visited between 10.00 and 21.00. Izkitapfest was attended by nearly 350 publishing houses, nearly 50 second-hand booksellers and dozens of institutions; It hosts a literary meeting in touch with nature, spreading to all areas of Kültürpark, from Lausanne to 26 August, from Kaskatlı Havuz to Basmane and Atatürk Open Air Theatre.
Izkitapfest will turn into a complete cultural feast for its visitors, not only for book shopping, but also with interviews, concerts, competitions, concerts and autograph sessions. Writers, poets, illustrators, journalists and more than 800 important names of the literary world will share their experiences with over a thousand autograph events and interviews. Non-governmental organizations and authors within these organizations will also meet with their readers and book lovers from Izmir in a specially organized area. A special book auction will also take place at the fair, which will host Turkey's largest second-hand second-hand bookshop participation with Sahaf Street.
İZELMAN A.Ş. The "guest of honor" author of Izkitapfest, which will bring together authors, publishers and book lovers with the support of KOSGEB and KOSGEB, is Ahmet Ümit, one of the important names of Turkish literature. At the fair, a talk on the life and works of Ahmet Ümit will be held with his participation on April 20 at 15.00 at the Atatürk Open Air Theatre. Ahmet Ümit will sign his books after the interview. At the same time, the mystery adventure game inspired by Ahmet Ümit's novel "Killing the Sultan" will meet with the participants within the scope of Izkitapfest.
Atatürk Open Air Theater will host valuable names
Valuable names from the world of science, thought and literature will come together with book lovers at interviews and autograph events to be held at Kültürpark Open Air Theatre. Historian, academician, writer Prof. Dr. İlber Ortaylı, academician, geologist and scientist Prof. on April 22. Dr. Celal Şengör on April 21, poet and writer Murathan Mungan on April 27, historian, academician and writer Prof. Dr. Emrah Safa Gürkan will meet with the people of Izmir on April 27, and animation producer and cartoonist Varol Yaşaroğlu will meet with the people of Izmir at the Atatürk Open Air Theater on April 27.
Important names of literature are at Izkitapfest
At the fair, hundreds of valuable writers, poets and illustrators will come together with their readers through autograph sessions and interviews. Such as Ahmet Ümit, Ahmet Telli, Ayşe Kulin, Buket Uzuner, Canan Tan, Çağan Irmak, Mahir Ünsal Eriş, Mete Kaan Kaynar, Mine Söğüt, Murathan Mungan, Murat Menteş, Saygı Öztürk, Sema Kaygusuz, Serhan Asker, Şükrü Erbaş, Umut Sarıkaya. The names will meet with their readers at the fair. Hundreds of thousands of book lovers are expected to visit Izkitapfest for 10 days. Participating publishing houses, events, interviews, signing day calendar and more information about the fair https://www.kitapizmir.com/ It will be located at.
History will be discussed
Valuable academicians of Izmir, such as Akın Ersoy, Ersin Doğer, Erkin Başer, Melek Göregenli, Melda Yaman, Murat Tozan, will talk about the works that have contributed to the city memory from ancient times to the present day, as well as the history of the city from past to present, in interviews. At the same time, a special interview for the 50th anniversary of the Writers' Union of Turkey (TYS) will be held with the participation of TYS Chairman Adnan Özyalçıner and TYS İzmir Representative Özer Akdemir. In cooperation with the Civil Service Association Izmir Branch, the documentary "Ahmed Arif's Longing" will be shown for the first time at Izkitapfest on April 21 at 18.00 at Lozan Stage.
April 23 enthusiasm will also be experienced at Izkitapfest
Izkitapfest will also be the largest book fair to be held outdoors. The fair will offer a festival experience where you can not only shop for books, but also participate with your family and have an enjoyable time. Special events for April 23 National Sovereignty and Children's Day will also be held at Izkitapfest. For 10 days; Many shows and different events such as concerts for children, fairy tale telling, quizzes, pantomimes and illusions will also take place at the fair.
Special events, musicals, concerts for children
There will be great excitement in every corner of Kültürpark during the week of April 23. At the fair, whose main theme is "Children's Literature", there will be Evrencan Gündüz concert on the grass field on April 23 at 15.00, Rafadan Tayfa Musical at Atatürk Open Air Theater on April 24 at 19.00, Kral Şakir Musical on the Wooden Stage on April 26 at 19.00. many events such as the Şubadap concert on 27 April at 12.00, Children's Theater and Fairy Tale Hour at 15.00, Black Group concert at 20.00, Village Theaters on 28 April at 14.00, İMD Rhythm Group at 15.00, Future Dance Group show at 16.00. event will be held.
Fair in Izmir in Autumn
İZKITAP, which will take place in a festival atmosphere in the unique nature of Kültürpark in the spring, will be held in Fuar İzmir between 26 October and 3 November 2024 in the autumn and will again bring together valuable names of publishing houses and the world of literature with book lovers.