EIBF wish to express its solidarity to Parisian colleagues and the French population. Say co-Presidents Kyra Dreher and Fabian Paagman: “ Our thoughts are with all of the Parisians and French people. Booksellers over the world have been horrified by the Paris events and wish to express their absolute solidarity with the French population.”
We specially feel deeply sorrow for the two book publishers savagely killed at the Bataclan and all the people working in this place who died that night while sharing their passion with hundreds of people in the audience.
Booksellers are cultural agents and contribute, in their daily life, to the dissemination of ideas and culture, which is the best possible answer to obscurantism and extremism, and will keep on with this mission with firmness and serenity.
The unspeakable Paris attacks affect all of us, our values of democracy, tolerance and living together in a multicultural society.
Books convey culture and culture empowers citizens. Booksellers stand for diversity of expression so that everyone can be properly educated and informed.
Freedom of expression and is a fundamental democratic principle which must be respected in all circumstances. It is the backbone of publishing and bookselling and we defend and support it in the strongest terms.
For further information please contact EIBF Director, Fran Dubruille
+32 475 40 32 34 or fran@europeanbooksellers.eu