Shanghai International Children's Book Fair postponed until March 2022 due to Covid

The Shanghai International Children's Book Fair (CCBF) has been postponed from this month to March 2022 because of the situation with Covid-19 in China and will now coincide with the Bologna Children's Book Fair (BCBF).

A statement from the CCBF organising committee apologised for the "inconvenience this unavoidable postponement may cause" but said the team were "convinced that the new situation will bring exciting opportunities so as to create a good exhibition and a fruitful business environment for all participants".

This year's fair was originally scheduled from 19th to 21st November at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Centre but will now run 20th to 22nd March 2022 at the same venue. The BCBF will be held in Italy from 21st to 24th March 2022. This will be the first time the two major professional children’s book fairs will run together. Organisers said they would "connect east and west through innovative real-time events" and will organise joint activities in copyright trade, book promotion and illustration so that "participants at both ends of the earth can network efficiently through time and space".

In August the Beijing International Book Fair was postponed at the last minute owing to the spread of Covid-19 in the city, but ran a month later in September.

CCBF said despite the postponement their online match-making system remains available from 8th to 30th November and participants can register at connect.ccbookfair.com to book their online appointments.