From 13–17 May 2026, the international book fair Svět knihy Praha 2026 and its professional programme, Central and Eastern European Book Market, welcomed three international curators from the publishing and literary sector: Ukrainian literary agent Nadia Velychko from ACCA Publishing House, Austrian programme curator Florian Baranyi from Literaturhaus Wien, and Michelle Tu, Director of the Taipei Book Fair Foundation in Taiwan. The three guests accepted an invitation from the Czech Centres as part of its curatorial programme.
The guests particularly appreciated the CEEBM professional programme, its thematic diversity, and the opportunities it provided for international networking. During their stay, they met with Czech publishers and other professionals from the book industry and attended a number of festival discussions and presentations.
Nadia Velychko focused primarily on contemporary Czech children’s literature and titles suitable for translation into Ukrainian. She also participated in a panel discussion on children’s literature as part of the CEEBM programme. Among other works, she was particularly interested in picture books that could be used in the education of art students.
Michelle Tu used her visit to gain a deeper understanding of the Czech literary and publishing landscape in connection with the Czech Republic’s upcoming guest-of-honour presentation at the Taipei International Book Exhibition (TIBE) in Taiwan.
Florian Baranyi concentrated on projects being prepared in cooperation with the Czech Centre Vienna, particularly the Czech Literature Mini Festival and the Poetry Festival.
The guests praised the diversity of Czech publishing, the strength of its independent publishing scene, and the high quality of its illustrated books and graphic novels. The visit helped establish new professional connections and opened up further opportunities for international cooperation and the promotion of Czech literature abroad.
