TiBE 2015 Yearly Theme: Open hearts, Open minds, Open books

TiBE 2015 Guest of Honor: New Zealand

There were 682 publishers from 67 countries participating in the 2015 Taipei International Book Exhibition (TiBE), and 747 activities were held, including 49 professional forums, 497 copyright sessions and 261 cross-media matchmaking events. At its 23rd edition, TiBE has been successful not only at boosting international exchanges but also at promoting local reading. With the policy of free entrance for those under 18, this year’s event attracted 189,000 young readers and 560,000 visitors in total.

Themed “Open hearts, Open minds, Open books” (Ngākau aotea, Ngākau māhorahora, Pukapuka wherawhera), the Guest of Honor country event had a 70-plus contingent from New Zealand, including Eleanor Catton, the youngest writer ever to claim the prestigious Man Booker Prize.

With the aim of enabling local readers to experience the unique charm of New Zealand publications, TiBE started the coordination as early as two years ago and proactively promoted the translation of New Zealand books into Mandarin, and over 20 titles have been translated as a result.

The New Zealand pavilion featured a diverse range of activities such as author meetups and Maori dance performances, facilitating in-depth communication between Taiwan and New Zealand while bridging the literatures of Taiwan aboriginal and Maori peoples. More than 3,300 readers basked in the joy of the New Zerland events, with 17 publishers participating in 150-plus copyright meetings and accumulating more than 250 offers.