The Etxepare Basque Institute will invite Polish publishers to the Durangoko Azoka Fair

In 2015 UK publishers attended the Music and Book Fair of Durango, and the experience was fruitful, with the result of three translation works of Basque language into English and their publication. In order to repeat the success of last year, the Etxepare Basque Institute will invite again several foreign publishers to visit Durangoko Azoka. In the 2014 edition, the Etxepare Institute invited UK publishers to visit the fair and Donostia, with the aim of meeting Basque writers and editors.

Last year, the guests were Parthian Books, Peter Owen Publishers, Comma Press, Seren Books and Maclehose Press. In addition, the Institute also invited two other guests: Elin H.G. Jones (Director of Aberystwyth University Mercator Institute) and Maya Jaggi (representative of LAF Literature Across Frontiers and journalist and critic of The Guardian).

All of them expressed their surprise at the relevance of the Azoka, its vivacity and participatory role. In addition, the Etxepare organized several meetings between foreign publishers and  Basque ones (Elkar, Pamiela, Susa, Txalaparta...).In addition, the Institute organized a literary seminar for publishers in the library Garoa of Donostia with the particiàtion of Rikardo Arregi, Kirmen Uribe, Harkaitz Cano, Iban Zaldua and Karmele Jaio.

They also organized a working day at the headquarters of the Etxepare also: the guests discussed on the situation of Basque literature and were briefed on the work done by the Institute to disseminate the literature of the Basque Country. They were also able to consult several samples and catalogs.

The visit was very productive; three Basque works were translated and published into English: the work Amaren eskuak of Karmele Jaio (Parthian Books), Kristalezko begi bat of  Miren Agur Meabe (Parthian Books) and Twist of Harkaitz Cano (Archipelago Books). The Institute promoted the translation of these three works (and others) through the annual calls for grants to translations.

In this edition, the Etxepare Basque Institute will repeat the experience. Taking into account that Donostia and the Polish city of Wroclaw will be the European Capitals of Culture in 2016, this year´s guests are Polish publishers. In addition, some journalists will also visit the Basque Country, and the Etxepare will organize several meetings with writers and publishers in Donostia. Finally, they will visit the new headquarters of the Institute and other entities in Tabakalera and DSS2016EU.