Finding a Safe Home in Books

IBBY European Regional Conference

The IBBY European Regional Conference 2023 was held on 9 March 2023 at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair.

The programme of the conference can be downloaded here.

Introduction – Doris Breitmoser, IBBY Germany, liaison for IBBY Europe & Charalambos Demetriou, IBBY Cyprus

Welcome by Sylvia Vardell, IBBY President & Elena Pasoli, Exhibition Manager, Bologna Children’s Book Fair

Feeling at Home: The Importance of Stories – Winny Ang, child and youth psychiatrist, Belgium

Panel 1 - Engaged Writing, Creating a Home in Books

Panel moderated by Eva Devos, IBBY Belgium

Author Slash Young Person. Edward van de Vendel, author for children and young adults, The Netherlands

Picture books and storytelling in times of war. Andriy Lesiv & Romana Romanyshin, book authors, designers and illustrators, Ukraine

Home is where the heart is. Experimental 3D Picture Books in Birdhouse Shape. Margaret Anne Suggs, illustrator, Ireland

Panel 2 – Books offer Shelter, Give Hope and Create Awareness

Panel moderated by Sabine Fuchs, IBBY Austria

Libraries at the Emergency Accommodation Centre for Migrants in Ivry-sur-Seine. Hasmig Chahinian, IBBY France

Sometimes I paint a house for us. Exhibition featuring the book of the same name by Alea Horst and Mehrdad Zaeri & related literature projects with children in Berlin. Kathrin Buchmann, programme director at LesArt, Germany

Etc. (Itn.) Festival of engaged writing as an open space. Nika Kovač, coordinator of Etc. (Itn.) – Youth festival of engaged writing, Slovenia

Understanding your own story to build your future. Fabio Geda, author, introduced by Chiara Pinton, IBBY Italy