Tanino Liberatore, Mihail Šiškin, Andrij Ljubka, Donatella di Cesare, Costica Bradatan, Oliver Lovrenski, Karolina Ramquist, Elaine Feeney, Dubravka Stojanović, Predrag Finci, Žarko Paić, Boris Dežulović are coming to the 30th Book Fair(y) * Dragan Velikić, Nada Gašić, Ivica Đikić, Ante Tomić .... will present their novels * Music stars at the Fair include Rambo Amadeus, Tereza Kesovija, Tamara Obrovac, Sejo Sekson, Belaj Band...

The identity theme Mikrocosmos is at the center of the 30th anniversary. Book Fair(y) in Istria - the Pula Festival of Books and Authors, which will be celebrated throughout the city. The center stage this year remains the Pula's House of Croatian Homeland War Veterans, which will from November 29 to December 8 transform into a temple of books and a palace of authors.  The rich program of the 30th Book Fair(y) in Istria symbolizes the number 100: more than 100 programs will be held, and more than 100 eminent authors from all over the world will arrive to Pula, as announced by Magdalena Vodopija, director of the Book Fair(y) in Istria, at the conference for journalists, on Wednesday, October 23, in the Mozart Café of the House of Croatian Homeland War Veterans. The emphasis is also placed on the programs created in partnership with Pula's cultural institutions, which were presented by Gorka Ostojić Cvajner, the art historian and owner of the Cvajner Gallery, Tanja Miličić, the director of the Public Institution Pula Film Festival, Eros Čakić, the advisor for art and gallery activities of the City of Pula and Darko Komšo, the director of the Archaeological Museum of Istria.

From philosophy to politics
"The Microcosmos theme is included in all programs of this year’s Fair, so that the 30th Fair represents multiple worlds, the foundation of which is interaction with those similar to us, but also with the others and those different from us, as well as the interpretation of the context given to us, and creativity in creating that what we strive for. The touch point of all these worlds that we will be talking about is the nobility of spirit. Rob Riemen, the author of the famous book ‘Nobility of Spirit’, will be one of the first authors to perform at the Fair. Another guest of the Fair is also the Romanian-American philosopher Costica Bradatan, who will present the book 'In Praise of Failure: Four Lessons in Humility'. The Island-Ghetto-Asylum program will host the Italian political philosopher Donatella Di Cesare, whose book 'Resident Foreigners' addresses the philosophy of migration. A prominent intellectual and  historian Dubravka Stojanović will present the book 'Prošlost dolazi' (The past is coming), and by archiving his intimate life through letters and interviews in the 'Knjiga lutanja’ (Book of Wanderings), the philosopher Žarko Paić will present himself to the audience in a new light", emphasized Magdalena Vodopija.Current topics, including the political situation, will be considered by the Fair in the program ‘Slavenski Đardin’ (The Slavene Garden), whose guests include the Ukrainian writer Andrij Ljubka with the book ‘Caribide’, and Mihail Šiškin, the Russian dissident and Putin’s great opponent, the winner of the ‘Russian Booker’, who will present the book ‘My Russia: War or Peace?’.
Powerful women of the Fair This year powerful women make up the strong backbone of the Fair’s program: the Irish writer Elaine Feeney presents her novel ‘How to Build a Boat' (nominated for the Booker Prize), and Karolina Ramqvist, one of the most influential Swedish writers and feminists, introduces the book ‘The Bear Woman’. Nada Gašić presents her new novel ‘Četiri plamena, led' (Four Flames, Ice) in the Power of Women program, and ‘Nevini' (Innocents) by Ena Katarina Haler will also have its premiere at the Fair.
The philosopher and social theorist Alenka Zupančić, the feminist theorist and sociologist Biljana Kašić, the author and literary critic Ana Schnabl and Leonida Kovač will participate in the round table ‘Gender Microcosmos’. This theme also points to the current moment of Istria through the new Histrocosmos’ program Sakramenske, which hosts the powerful women of Istria - Evelina Rudan, Sunčica Mustač, Đurđica Orepić, and Tamara Obrovac, who will also present her project ‘Apoxyomenos Recomposed’. The most famous Konavoka (woman from Konavle), the unique artist Tereza Kesovija, is also coming, and will be a guest at the Breakfast with the Author of the Hommage to Luko Paljetak program.

Numerous literary premieres

The ‘Microcosmoi of Artists’ round table will bring together great names – the world mega emperor Rambo Amadeus, the philosopher Predrag Finci, the choreographer, director and dance artist Matija Ferlin, whereby this theme will be presented to the audience through numerous literary premieres. "The arrival of the new European literary star Oliver Lovrenski should certainly be singled out, who brilliantly outlines the microcosm of his generation with the novel 'When we were younger'. Authors who marked the history of the Fair will also have premiere promotions of their novels: Dragan Velikić presents 'Bečki roman’ (Vienna Roman) for the first time, Ante Tomić introduces his new book 'Nada’ (Hope), Vladislav Bajac presents his travel novel 'Pucanj u prazno’ (Shot in the dark), and Ivica Đikić presents 'Divlji kvas’ (Wild Kvass). Smoje's 'Libreto o našem malom portu’ (Libreto about our small port), edited by Boris Dežulović, is a book about the microcosm of Pisak", announced Magdalena Vodopija and pointed out that the microcosm of Sarajevo in the 80s has a special place in the program. It includes meetings with the philosopher Predrag Finci, who introduces his book "Filozofske priče” (Philosophical Stories) at the 30th Fair. In the ‘Bookstan presents program, Boro Kontić and Sejo Sexon, legends of the “Top lista nadrealista’ (The Top List of Surrealists) and Zabranjeno pušenje band, will present the book ‘Pamtim kao da je bilo nekad' (I remember how it used to be). The iconic Sarajevo photo chronicler Milomir Kovačević Strašni brings about the atmosphere of the city at the exhibition ‘Sarajevo in the 80s’ (Makina Gallery). "The Microcosm theme is mostly reflected in the Histrokozmos programs: Konavle - guest land and Istria under the crust. Both Konavle and Istria are microcosmoi unto themselves, and they are united by the fate of people from the border. Igor Grbić talks about the Istrian frescoes ('Istarska feskočašća'), Eric Ušić writes about graffiti from the Second World War ('Zidovi pamte'), and Vlaho Bogišić brings us 'Rječnik zaljubljenika u Konavle’ (Dictionary of Konavle enthusiasts). The Istrian microcosm is presented in Franko Lukež's book 'Poslovice o iću i piću’ (Proverbs about eating and drinking) and the great authors of Istria - the distinguished art historian and conservator prof. Ivan Matejčić and professor of Mediterranean history Egidio Ivetić. The premiere of the 'Kantaduri' project by Edi Cukerić, Daniele Pernić and Mauricio Ferlin will also be part of this program," announced Magdalena Vodopija.
Poetry by Predrag Lucić and performance by Aljoša Pužar "At the presentation of the collection of poems 'Južno dvorište 1-2’ (South Yard 1-2) by Predrag Lucić, the most loved author of the Fair, we are expecting, I can safely say, the whole of Pula. Lucić's collected poems will be presented by Damir Šodan, Boris Dežulović and Emir Imamović – Pirke. Belaj Band and Viva Bludež will be performing at this emotional promotion. Certainly, all of us who work at the Fair are looking forward to the presentation of the collection of poems 'Pitanje nadležnosti’ (The Question of Jurisdiction), that is, a performance in which both the poet Aljoša Pužar and the presenter Aljoša Pužar will take part", said Magdalena Vodopija.
One of the highlights of the Fair, as announced by Vodopija, is certainly the arrival of one of the greatest masters of comics in the world, the Italian author Tanino Liberatore, who will be a guest at the Breakfast with the Author and will present his impressive exhibition ‘Fragments of Chaos’. The fact that comics always have an important place at the Fair is confirmed by the presentation of the graphic novel ‘Nekropola' (Necropolis) by the young Trieste artist Juri Devetak based on the autobiographical novel by Boris Pahor.

Partners of the Book Fair(y) bring exhibitions, concerts, performances

''If Boško were here now, he would be bursting with joy seeing how much his daughter Magdalena has surpassed him in the wild ambitions he set at the 1st  Fair - envisaging a growth projection reaching the sky and never declining. To this day, striking images, events, and values remain associated with the Fair, and now it is being run by its third generation", said the art historian Gorka Ostojić Cvajner, who is undoubtedly the longest and richest collaborator of the Fair in terms of its program. She also announced the Boško Obradović Path project in Montezaro Park Pula intended to highlight the significance and importance of Boško Obradović - a poet, cultural worker, and founder of the Book Fair in Istria. She further emphasized that it is crucial for Pula that the Fair remains in the House of Croatian Homeland War Veterans. Speaking about this year's program collaboration, she announced the exhibition ‘Let s vilama’ (Flight with the Fairies) by an academic painter from Konavle, Antonija Rusković Radonić, which will be displayed at the Cvajner Gallery. The Istrian National Theatre - City Theatre Pula will host this year's audio-visual performance ‘Propulzor. Partitura za brod Galeb’ (Propulsor. Partiture for the Ship Galeb) by Alen and Nenad Sinkauz, Andrea Matošević, Vladislav Knežević, Miodrag Gladović and Mario Kalogjera. In addition, the exhibition ‘Dnevnik glumca’ (The Diary of an Actor) by Livio Badurina will be opened at the Vincent iz Kastva Gallery as a pre-Fair event on 16 November. 

Tanja Miličić, the director of the Public Institution Pula Film Festival and a longtime partner of the Fair, invited everyone to the Rambo Amadeus concert at Pula’s Portarata and the celebration of the Fair’s 30th anniversary on December 6. She recalled her work at the Fair and emphasized that, like the entire Fair, Magdalena Vodopija is both a personal and professional role model and teacher to her, and that she is particularly impressed by the amount of emotion she puts into when working with her partners. She congratulated everyone who has contributed to building the Fair over its 30 years and announced the Pula and Fair celebration of ‘Sveti Nikola od libri i mora’ (St. Nicholas of Books and the Sea), designed by Slavica Ćurković, the Fair’s main producer.

Eros Čakić, advisor for visual and gallery activities of the City of Pula, hosted the incredible exhibitions of the Fair at the Town Gallery Pula, and this year, he is preparing one of the largest exhibitions in those premises—‘Fragmenti kaosa’ (The Fragments of Chaos) by the great comic artist Tanino Liberatore, which will open on December 3. Highlighting that Liberatore (alongside Hugo Pratt and Milo Manara) represents Michelangelo in the Italian comic trio, he spoke passionately about the author of the famous 'Ranxerox' and announced the magnificent exhibition of the top comic master and a high-class contemporary fine artist. 

Apart from congratulating the Fair for its 30th anniversary, Darko Komšo, the director of the Archaeological Museum of Istria and one of the Fair's most loyal partners, said that his professional connection to the Fair came about through collaboration on charismatic and complex projects, while privately, he is tied to it by emotions and memories of the Castropola bookstore, from which the Fair developed. He also announced the exhibition at the Church of the Sacred Hearts ‘Memento Momenta: Kako se oblikovao Sa(n)jam knjige u Istri’ (Memento Momenta: How did the Book Fair(y) in Istria develop) by Maurizio Ferlin, celebrating the 30 years of the Fair, which will be held early next year. 

"My interest in shaping this exhibition is somewhat directed, not so much towards historical aspects, dates, and years, but towards the various phenomena that we conceived, experimented with, and dared to implement at the Fair", emphasizes Maurizio Ferlin in the text accompanying the exhibition, adding: “My inner urge and drive in selecting what we will present, will be to showcase what made the Pula Fair(y) different from other literary events. I hope that this interweaving of various creative practices and languages will yield some new interpretations, which would show the inner character of reflection and creation that is inherent to the Book Fair in Istria”. 

The main sponsors of the 30th Book Fair(y) in Istria are The Ministry of Culture and Media, the Istrian County, the City of Pula, Zagrebačka banka and Arena Hospitality Group.