Russian stand suspended at Frankfurt Book Fair, IPA condemns Russia's 'criminal' invasion

The director of Frankfurt Book Fair is "suspending co-operation" with Russian authorities organising the collective stand at the annual fair in a demonstration of support for Ukrainian publishers. Meanwhile, the International Publishers Association (IPA) has said it "condemns the criminal Russian invasion in the strongest possible terms", while the London Book Fair (LBF) has also condemned the invasion.

The move by FBF president and c.e.o. Juergen Boos to suspend co-operation with Russia comes as a response to an open letter by the Baltic Cultural Institutions, representing the book industry, which called for book fair organisers to remove Russian stands and sever contact with the Russian Federation.

“Ukraine is fighting an unprovoked attack and the entire European cultural community must also fight back with all the means at its disposal," Aušrinė Žilinskienė, director of the Lithuanian Culture Institute, said as part of the lettter, also calling on the European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC) network to issue similar appeal in support of Ukraine.

The appeal has been signed by such organisations as the Lithuanian Culture Institute, the International Writers and Translators House, the Estonian Literature Centre, and the Estonian, Lithuanian and Latvian parties on the international board of Books for Young People (IBBY.)

“The organisers of the Frankfurt Book Fair strongly condemn Russia’s attack on Ukraine ordered by President Putin," Boos said in a statement on the fair’s website. "Against the backdrop of the Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine, a violation of international law, the Frankfurt Book Fair is suspending co-operation with the Russian state institutions in charge of organising the Russian collective stand at Frankfurter Buchmesse. The Frankfurt Book Fair assures the Ukrainian publishers’ associations of its full support.”

In a statement, IPA president Bodour Al Qasimi said: "The IPA stands in solidarity with publishers in peril all around the world and, especially at this moment, with our member in Ukraine, the Ukrainian Publishers and Booksellers Association. We are following developments and discussing how IPA can be of most assistance to our member. In times of peace, books have a powerful uniting force. In times of conflict, books are even more important in fostering hope, supporting reconciliation, and cementing peace."

The London Book Fair has also come out in support of Ukraine.  Andy Ventris, director of LBF, which is run by Reed Exhibitions Limited (RX) told The Bookseller: "RX strongly condemns the Russian invasion of Ukraine. RX stands in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, particularly with our employees around the world who have family and friends in the Ukraine.

"We also stand in solidarity with our Russian employees working in challenging conditions. In a rapidly changing environment, RX is following government sanctions and policies in each territory where we operate. By mutual agreement, there is no Russian Pavilion at The London Book Fair 2022.”

The developments come as authors including Margaret Atwood, Olga Tokarczuk and Tsitsi Dangarembga signed an open letter released by PEN International that condemned the "senseless" Russian invasion of Ukraine and calling for an immediate end to the bloodshed.