THE National Book Development Board and its partner, The Philippine Board on Books for Young People, made a historic debut at the 2024 Bologna Children’s Book Fair from April 8 to 11, 2024 at the BolognaFiere Exhibition Centre, Bologna.

This is a milestone for the Philippine children’s book sector, as it marks the country’s first-ever participation at the world’s biggest international fair for children’s content.

With the Philippine children’s book sector thriving and highly sought-after in the local publishing industry, this debut offers a long-awaited opportunity to showcase the country’s children’s content, which is among the most widely translated genres, to a global audience.

A curated selection of 103 books, exploring themes such as culture, diversity, identity, peace, community, and the environment, will be featured at the Philippines’ country stand at the BCBF.

The delegation includes acclaimed artists Beth Parrocha (The Pencil Who Would Not Write, Bulul), Liza Flores (The Secret is in the Soil), and authors Russell Molina (Tuwing Sabado, Sandosenang Kuya), and Mary Ann Ordinario (My Muslim Friend, War Makes Me Sad), aiming to not only present the talent of Filipino creators but also to secure translation rights, expand networks with foreign publishers, and foster collaborations between local and international counterparts.

Additionally, Philippine comics will take the center stage at the BCBF’s Comics Corner, courtesy of Avenida Books founder and Trese publisher Nida Ramirez, who has been honored with a fellowship from the BolognaFiere Group.

“Establishing the country’s presence in the BCBF—as well as in the upcoming Asian Festival for Children’s Content, where it will be the Country of Focus, and the upcoming Guest of Honor role in Frakfurter Buchmesse 2025, shall help solidify the Philippines as an emerging creative content capital in Southeast Asia. We cannot wait to introduce our children’s book industry to the global stage—the many Filipino authors and publishers exploring themes of peace identity and community,” Executive Director, Charisse Aquino-Tugade said.

Since its inception in 1964, the Bologna Children’s Book Fair has been the premier platform for professionals in children’s content worldwide, providing opportunities for networking, rights selling, and cross-media adaptation, along with educational activities.

This year, with over 1,500 exhibitors from around 100 countries, including the Philippines, the fair anticipates over 25,000 visitors. The Philippines’ country stand, designed by the award-winning artist and illustrator Aldy Aguirre, is located at Hall 29, Stand B24-C23.