The anarchist book fair has been moved into autumn 2020. The new date will be from the 23rd to 25th October 2020. As organizers, we came to this decision.
The reason is, like you may have guessed, the spread of the coronavirus. With our book fair we wanted to get together with as many people as possible from all three countries that make up the region and create a space for a long and intense exchange. To facilitate that, the program was not only filled with book stalls and workshops, but also dining together as well as cultural offers at night (like bigger concerts). In this context we can’t ignore the risk of infection, especially for our comrades who have a higher risk of being infected by SARS-CoV-2, and can not stick to our plan like before. For a utopian world, we want to look after and care for each other and try to stay (or get) well.
With the early and considered postponement to a later date we want to enable a book fair which will hopefully happen – with new releases, the latest analysis (also about the coronavirus) and maybe even more people!
How we handle the current health situation shows also what is important to us. That’s why we are shocked by the despotic, medical irrational closure of the national borders (which also affects our guests, in particular the ones who could not pass the border safely before). Likewise, we are shocked by the economical conjunction program, which is only geared towards getting capital through the crisis, while precariously employed people are largely left to fend for themselves. But also at the ignorance behind showing solidarity in connection to the coronavirus, but ignoring the plight of all the people at the European borders and accepting their deaths.
Together, we want to continue to resist this system of crisis politics that capitalism entails, still fight together for more humanity and still create our own spaces. Therefore, we understand the date change of the book fair as mere deviation, as a necessary measure, but also as an opportunity with a free weekend more to catch our breaths, pause for a moment and break through the neoliberal daily routine, and consider how to not go on like before “after the crisis”. A weekend to instead take time to stay active locally and in smaller circles or on the internet, because we are many, we are everywhere, and we can work everywhere and always toward a better world, not only when we come together for bigger events.
Stay seeds for a better world, stick together, and we’ll see you out there!
A bit tired but happy we look back on a great weekend. Full of sun, lectures, book stands, concerts and workshops. We had a lot of fun organizing the book fair! We also want to thank all the people that helped us, be it by offering books, cooking, lecturing, offering workshops or helping out at the bar.
The last day has started, and the First Aid Workshop and the Book Lecture by Liberatout are occurring right now.
…and a lot to do. At least for us. But a lot is already planned. The publishers which will be present during the book fair can be found 