Bookfest returns to Chisinau, and the book offer will be exclusively in Romanian

Culture represents an important bridge that can unite two peoples. The Bookfest International Book Fair returns to Chisinau, between September 2 and 6, 2026, with its 9th edition. The event will bring together publishing houses from Romania and the Republic of Moldova, writers and cultural figures, and the program will include book launches, debates and meetings with the public. The fair will take place at the Mediacor Center of the State University of Moldova, and access will be free. The 9th edition will bring to Chisinau books published by publishing houses from Romania and the Republic of Moldova, and the offer presented during the fair will be exclusively in Romanian, according to the IPN agency, which quotes the organizers.

The program will include book launches, debates and meetings with authors and personalities of cultural life from the two countries.

• An event organized by institutions from both countries

The 2026 edition is being held under the High Patronage of the President of Romania, Nicuşor Dan, and the President of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, according to information published by IPN. The announced organizers are the National Library of the Republic of Moldova, the State University of Moldova, the ProEuropa Association, the Union of Publishers of the Republic of Moldova and the Association of Publishers of Romania, in partnership with the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Moldova. The event is financed by the Department for Relations with the Republic of Moldova.

• Publishing houses from Romania and the Republic of Moldova

Among the publishing houses announced for this year's edition are the Romanian Academy Publishing House, ARC, ART Editorial Group, Bookzone, Cartier, Curtea Veche Publishing, Humanitas Group, Litera, Nemira, Paralela 45, Polirom, Prut, Ştiinţa and Trei. The list published by the organizers is broader and includes, among others, AGIR, Booklet, Cartego, Casa Poveştilor, Cuantic, Didactica Publishing House, Eikon, Epigraf, Gama, Publishing House of the Romanian Cultural Institute - National Book Center, Junimea, National Museum of Romanian Literature, Prior Media Group, Sophia and Publishing House of Universitaria - University of Craiova. The presence of publishing houses from the two countries will allow the public to find in a single space a diverse editorial offer, from literature and children's books to academic volumes and specialized works.

• Writers and people of culture, invited to Chişinău

The program will include meetings with authors and cultural figures from Romania and the Republic of Moldova. According to Radio Moldova, among the announced guests are Ioana Pârvulescu, Bogdan-Alexandru Stănescu, Dan Lungu, Lucian Dan Teodorovici, Bogdan Creţu, Doina Ruşti, Andreea Răsuceanu, Simona Antonescu, Sabina Fati, Lidia Bodea, Denisa Comănescu, Svetlana Cârstean, Ion Bogdan Lefter, Simona Popescu and Cristian Preda. From the Republic of Moldova, Octavian Ţîcu, Emilian Galaicu-Păun, Dumitru Crudu, Maria Pilchin and Vitalie Ciobanu are announced, among others. The program will include presentations and book launches, as well as debates, so that the salon will bring together the editorial component with direct meetings between authors and readers. The participation of Romanian publishing houses in the salon offers the public from the Republic of Moldova direct access to an important part of recent editorial production from Romania. At the same time, the participation of publishing houses and authors from the Republic of Moldova brings literature and editorial production from across the Prut to the event. The organizers have thus maintained the format of an event in which publishing houses, authors and readers from the two countries meet around books and the Romanian language.