On this page we will be collecting historical documents like statement, reports, articles and other materials such as posters, photos and videos from previous Balkan Anarchist Bookfairs.
This year Balkan Anarchist Bookfair will celebrate 20 years of its existence since its inception in 2003 when it was first time organized in Ljubljana, Slovenia. We want to use this opportunity to historize its story and collect as much written and other materials and publish it in some form for this years BAB in Ljubljana.
This page is under construction and will be regularly updated. If you have materials, please send them to: bab2023(at)riseup(at)net
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The initiative for Balkan Anarchist Bookfair as an annual event of the anarchist movement in the Balkans that would rotate among different cities arose in the discussion among anarchists from former Yugoslav countries. The proposal was given by anarchists in Belgrade and was affirmed by anarchists in Ljubljana with proposal to host first event, by anarchists in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Macedonia. Bulgarian and Greek comrades were one of the first outside former Yugoslavia to support this project: Anti-authoritarian movement (AK) from Greece that was mobilising against the EU summit in Halkidiki that same year attended the first BAB in Ljubljana, the 3rd BAB was organized by comrades in Sofia.
#01 Ljubljana, Slovenia / 27 – 30 March, 2003
1st Balkan Anarchist Bookfair took place in Ljubljana, Slovenia between 27th and 30th of March in Autonomous cultural center Metelkova mesto and Autonomous zone Molotov, and was attended by more then 100 comrades from eight different Balkan and European countries. Comrades from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Romania were weren’t allowed to enter Slovenia at the border so they couldn’t participate. Local organization of the event was in the hands of Social-anarchist federation (SAF) and people around the squats of the city of that time. Beside the bookfair, presentations of participating groups from Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Czech Republic and Greece took place, discussion on the future of the anarchist movement and cultural program. Participants of the event also joined the anti-militarist demonstration in the city against the war in Iraq. Last assembly of participants proposed to organize next BAB in Sofia or Belgrade.
- Statement: From the Local Struggle to International Resistance
- Video report: 1st Balkan Anarchist Bookfair – Ljubljana 2003
- More Photos
#02 Zagreb, Croatia / 18 – 20 March, 2005
2nd Balkan Anarchist Bookfair took place from 18th to 20th of March 2005 in gallery Nova and one of the city squares in Zagreb, Croatia. It was also the first Zagreb Anarchist Bookfair that is organized every year since 2005.
#03 Sofia, Bulgaria / 31 May – 2 June, 2008
3rd Balkan Anarchist Bookfair took place from 31st to 2nd of June 2008 in Sofia, Bulgaria. The initiative group for organizing the 3rd Balkan Anarchist Book Fair was constituted by groups and individuals from Bulgaria, Serbia and Greece, who have attended the previous two book fairs. Willing to revive the institution, they selected Sofia as the location for organizing the event for two main reasons: first of all due to the huge history of the Anarchist Movement in Bulgaria and also due to the contemporary huge publication activity. Besides the hosts from the Federation of Anarchists in Bulgaria, it was attended by participants from Greece and Serbia. There were also attendants from France, Britain, Canada, Australia and Armenia.
#04 Thessaloniki, Greece / 27 – 31 May, 2009
As decided at the general assembly of the participants at the 3rd Balkan Anarchist Bookfair in Sofia, the 4th Balkan Anarchist Bookfair was held at the end of May 2009 in Greece. First two days BAB took place in Thessaloniki, where the bookfair was a self-standing event at a public square, in Athens the bookfair was hosted by the B-Fest, a huge international festival organized by Babylonia newspaper.
#05 Zrenjanin, Serbia / 29 – 31 October, 2010
#06 Skopje, Macedonia / 10 – 12 June, 2011
#07 Ljubljana, Slovenia / 24 – 26 May, 2013
7th Balkan Anarchist Bookfair took place in Autonomous cultural center Metelkova mesto in Ljubljana, Slovenia from 24th to 26th of May 2013. The event celebrated 10 years of its existence and was attended by numerous comrades from all around the globe.
- Statement: We are their crisis – for a transnational struggle against capitalism and repression
- Joint Statement of the Balkan Meeting on Nationalism
- AF Report from the Balkan Anarchist Bookfair 2013 in Ljubljana, Slovenia
- FdA Report: 10 Jahre Theorie und Praxis – Balkan Anarchist Bookfair 2013
- MASA: Izvještaj s Balkanskog anarhističkog sajma knjiga
- Other materials and reports
#08 Mostar, Bosnia and Hercegovina / 5 – 6 September, 2014
#09 Zadar, Croatia / 11 – 12 September, 2015
9th Balkan Anarchist Bookfair took place in Autonomous cultural Centre Nigdjezemska in Zadar, Croatia.
#10 Ioannina, Greece / 23 – 25 June, 2016
10th Balkan Anarchist Bookfair took place mainly at Alsos Park in Ioannina from 23rd to 25th of June, 2016.
Beyond the disposal and exchange of printed material, the aim of the festival was to bring together people and groups from different countries who are active within structures of the anarchist/anti-authoritarian/autonomous movement, and provide them the opportunity to discuss over subjects related to social and class struggles, to exchange ideas/practices/methods, with the final goal to establish/ tighten solidarity bonds among participants.
#11 Zagreb, Croatia / 7 – 9 April, 2017
The eleventh Balkan Anarchist Bookfair took place in Autonomous cultural center Medika in Zagreb from 7th to 9th of April, 2017.
- Call and program
- Statement of the 11th Balkan Anarchist Bookfair
- Razgovor: Balkanski anarhistički sajam knjiga – solidarnim i autonomnim izdavaštvom protiv države i kapitalizma!
#12 Novi Sad, Serbia / 28 – 30 September, 2018
The 12th Balkan Anarchist Bookfair took place in SKCNS Fabrika in Novi Sad, Serbia from 28th to 30th of September, 2018.
- Statement: For the Balkans of struggle and solidarity
- Official webisite for BAB 2018
- Report: Bericht von der 12. Anarchistischen Buchmesse des Balkans
#13 Sofia, Bulgaria / 27 – 29 September, 2019
13th Balkan Anarchist Bookfair was held in Sofia from 27th to 29th of September 2019 as part of 100 years anniversary of FAB – Federation of anarchists in Bulgaria.
#14 Cluj, Romania / 24 – 26 June, 2022
After two years of pause because of pandemia, the 14th edition of the Balkan Anarchist Bookfair took place in Cluj/Kolozsvár, Romania, between 24th and 26th of June, 2022.
