(Short Article) Get Ready For IIBF 2024 on 25-29 September

Indonesia International Book Fair (IIBF) 2024 is coming soon. It will be held in Jakarta Convention Center from 25 to 29 of September 2024. References say this time it will be more like a festival, not just a book fair. It means IIBF 2024 could be bigger and attended by more participants, not only from Indonesia but also from other countries (at least in regional areas/ASEAN countries). Last year, the previous IIBF 2023 was held in Tangerang. Let's take a look a while what happened last year...

The main theme on IIBF 2023 was "Its Time To Read!". It was held from Wednesday (September 27) to Sunday (October 1) 2023 in Indonesia Convention Exhibition (ICE) in BSD City Tangerang. Some of the events were book launching, discussion, meet-and-greet with authors, literacy journey, cosplay, book seminars, and of course... discount areas. There was also Indonesia Rights Fair as a transaction of copyright on book or literacy works. 

It was considered successful and attended by more than 60 publishers/ literary agencies from 15 countries. Korea was Guest of Honor in IIBF 2023. Deputy of Head Mission Embassy Of The Republic Of Korea also delivered his speech on the opening ceremony. 

The chairman of IKAPI (Indonesian Publishers Association) mainly stated that IIBF was an effort to provide reading materials for people. It's also an effort to make Indonesian people remain reading. Based on that fact, IIBF was also relevant to boost up Indonesian literacy level, both online and offline ones. Knowing that digital technology is here among us, let's not make it as a "rival"... but make it more as our companion to lift up Indonesian reading habit. IIBF 2023 last year was also attended by a famous calligrapher from Korea showing his skills by performing some attraction using tools and materials brought directly from Korea. Wow...

Lastly, there was also IKAPI Award in IIBF 2023. This kind of award had already been held since 2010 as a appreciation for writers, publishers, and other literacy activists or elements who always take positive roles in power up Indonesian book industries. The categories of awards in IIBF 2023 were Writer Of The Year, Book Of The Year, Literacy Promoter, and Children's Book Of The Year. 

Well... sound nice, huh? Let's hope IIBF this year in 2024 will be nicer, more attractive, and provide more awards for writers and book activists. If you have time and get bored of your online activities, be there OK? Let's hope it's not raining... haha. I'm only a Trans Jakarta bus user, anyway.