The 74th Frankfurt Book Fair started with the opening ceremony attended by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and King Felipe of Spain. The world’s largest book fair will be the meeting point for book lovers until October 23. International Journalists Association e.V (IJA) took its place at the fair this year with the theme ‘Free Media for Real Democracy’.
IJA booth, where book lovers showed great interest, on the first day of the fair ukraynahaber.com moderated by Yunus Erdoğdu, Editor-in-Chief of the website ukraynahaber.com, hosted Ukrainian journalist Volodymyr Bober, Editor-in-Chief of the Poglyad Newspaper.
Volodymyr Bober, who is also a member of the board of the Ukrainian Journalists’ Association (NSJU), told about the work carried out on the security of journalists in the country after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Volodymyr Bober stated that about 40 journalists have lost their lives since the beginning of the occupation and said: ‘Ukrainian journalists continue to do their duties at the cost of their lives’.
With a solidarity center established within the Ukrainian Journalists’ Association, we are trying to provide all kinds of support to journalists both working in Ukraine and forced to move abroad. Along with the war conditions, the needs of journalists have also changed. Volodymyr Bober said that the Ukrainian Journalists’ Association meets the needs of journalists serving on the front line, such as vests and helmets. In addition, the Ukrainian Journalists’ Association also acts as a bridge for international aid to reach journalists.
With the Russian occupation, the working offices of journalists in Ukraine were also burned down and destroyed. The Ukrainian Journalists’ Association also supports journalists in providing a working environment.
The Ukrainian journalist gave information about the latest situation of journalists in the Kherson region. Kherson is one of the regions occupied by Russia, and some of the journalists there have been taken prisoner. Those who are not taken prisoner continue their duties in difficult conditions in the basements of buildings.
The interview with Volodymyr Bober, Editor-in-Chief of the Poglyad Newspaper, was also broadcast live on IJA’s YouTube channel.
In addition to IJA, the Tenkil Museum association, which recorded the genocide that took place in Turkey after the alleged coup attempt on July 15, 2016, is also participating in the fair. The Tenkil Museum association took its place for the first time this year at the Frankfurt Book Fair with the mission of publicizing ‘TENKIL’, a crime against humanity, to the world.
The events at the Frankfurt Book Fair, which has been under restrictions for the past two years due to the pandemic, now are being held face-to-face this year. Around four thousand publishing organizations from 95 countries, including Turkey, will participate in the fair by setting booths, and many panels and reading events will also take place.
