This year, under the title "Imaginary Balkan", the eighth Bookstan International Literature Festival was held from July 5 to 8.
More than 40 presentations were held in four days - each festival day started with a presentation at 11 a.m. and ended at 10 p.m. The festival was opened by the Bulgarian historian Marija Todorova and presented the cult book "Imaginary Balkan" in a conversation with Senadin Musabegović, and was closed by the Irish writer Colm Tóibín who presented his latest novel "The Wizard" in a conversation with Senka Marić.
During these four days, the audience had the opportunity to hear important names such as Burhan Sonmez, Ahmet Umit, Nana Ekvtimishvili, Priscilla Morris, Rene Karabaš, Sandra Cisneros, Zoran Žmirić, Đurđica Čilić, Jakuta Alikavazovic, John Freeman, Guide Snell...
During the festival, two round tables were held – “Current Challenges of Balkan Identity” and “Balkan Authors in the Eyes of the West”, as well as two special guest appearances organized in cooperation with the Pula Book Fair festival, which featured Darko Cvijetić and Boris Dežulović.
As part of the In Memoriam program, we remembered two writers who died prematurely - Farah Tahirbegović and Emir Šaković.
In parallel with the regular festival program, a special program “Young Corner” was held for the first time, where Vesna Mišanović, John Freeman, Ahmet Umit, Vedad Drljević, Asli Tohomcu, Olja Savičević Ivančević, Zlatko Sarajlija and Nenad Veličković presented themselves to the youngest readers. Part of the program for the youngest was held in Brčko under the name Bookstan District. The programs were held at the American Corner Sarajevo and the American Corner Brčko, as well as at the Historical Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
A workshop for young literary critics was organized, this year led by university professor Selma Raljević and entitled “Contemporary Literary and Cultural Criticism: Dangerous Reading.” At the festival's closing ceremony, participants were awarded certificates, and the best were awarded prizes.