Gaudeamus with a book in his hand. Or more [FOTO]

The first day at Gaudeamus, the biggest book fair in Transylvania.

Article edited by Bianca CampeanuApril 24, 2024, 5:35 p.m

The biggest book fair in Transylvania returned to Piața Unirii in Cluj-Napoca, on the eve of the Easter holidays, according to a tradition of almost two decades.

Edition number 23 a Gaudeamus Radio Romania Book Fair waiting for you until April 28. What was the atmosphere of the first day, we learn from our report:

Bogdan Rosca: Good day, ladies and gentlemen! We are at edition number 23. An edition that, if I think about it a little, means a third of the life of the Cluj Radio Studio, which, as you well know, this year, in March, he turned 70 years old.

So here we are, even at this age, continuing to do events for the public, to support culture, to support authors, publishers, the written word and everything related to this.

I invite all of you who listen to us or follow us to be present here, to come to Piata Unirii until Sunday, to a fair that proposes no less than 40 events, book launches and meetings with authors, 85 stands, 60 exhibitors.

It is, as our colleagues from Radio Romania, from the Gaudeamus division, say, the largest traveling book fair in the country. Sure, we are in second place, after the Autumn Fair in Bucharest, but the fact that the biggest Radio Romania book fair is happening here, in Cluj, is an honor for us and at the same time obliges us to do everything we can so that the readers , writers, people of culture, those who want the peace of a book, find it here.

Reporter: Bogdan Roșca, the director of Radio Romania Cluj, gave the good news again this year: the start of a new marathon of books, music, educational games, inspirational meetings – Gaudeamus Book Fair, Cluj-Napoca. The honorary president of this edition, university professor Dr. Ioana Bot, translator and well-known eminescologist, tells us what, in her opinion, is the superpower of the book fair:

Ioana Bot: The Book Fair allows you to meet people, discuss, catch readers’ reactions and expectations and further, to the extent that you are a book maker, as I consider myself, to take them into account. And then, the Book Fair brings under your eyes and under your fingers a lot of books that can otherwise pass under the radar of the Internet, under the radar of the welcome chronicles that are written, not written, read, not read, to write more little bit.

The book fair is a festive fair. I feel like comparing it to the Christmas market of my childhood. You also get into the big wheel of books, you imagine that you go on amazing trips with the help of books and go home with a bag of pleasures.

Reporter: Impressions from the publishing houses: Casa Carții de Sciință, Herald Publishing House and Gama Publishing House, tell us how they feel the pulse of the fair in the early hours:

Speaker 1: We are glad that every book fair and every Gaudeamus edition shows us that, despite the sad statistics, people, nevertheless, those who are interested in the book come and are curious to discover the publishing appearances in all fields.

Reporter: How was the flow of curious people, even though we are in the early hours?

Speaker 1: The reaction is gratifying, because I think we weren’t necessarily allowed to enter the book stands already, but buyers were trying to see the books that are already arranged on the tables, and their reaction is the same, of curiosity. I hold the books in my hand, read the presentation texts on their covers, flip through them and I think that most people, after visiting several stands, also choose the books they go home with.

Speaker 2: There were many people who arrived and we are still waiting from now on.

Reporter: More interested age groups?

Speaker 2: Yes, at the moment the children, because they escaped from school and as far as I understand, the school is different, but also older people. We are waiting for the middle-aged. Fairs are important because that’s how we make new titles known, new titles are known faster than on websites, from our collaborators, so it’s much better at the fair.

Speaker 3: We have a very varied range, we have books for learning to read, for those who are a little more experienced, even story books, we have interactive games, games for personal development. We have a wide range of products, discounts.

Reporter: How has the flow of visitors been so far?

Speaker 4: The flow is a good one. From what I understand, this period coincided with Green Week and all kinds of excursions were organized, including in Cluj.

Reporter: Excursions in the world of books.

Speaker 4: Exact. A wonderful world, I might say.

Until Sunday, from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Gaudeamus Book Fair, Cluj-Napoca – every day a bag of pleasures.

audio/photo: Anca Brașfălean

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