Greece in the London Book Fair with Literary and Translation Events
Greek authors, translators and institutions engage with international publishing community
March 13th, 2026
On March 9, 2026 Greece launched its participation in the London Book Fair with a literary discussion at the Hellenic Centre, followed on 10 March by a session on translation initiatives at the Greek National Pavilion at Olympia London. The Embassy of the Hellenic Republic in London presented the programme, highlighting the country’s ongoing efforts to promote Greek literature internationally and support literary translation.
The opening discussion on 9 March 2026 at the Hellenic Centre, titled “Baggage Restrictions: Why Translating Fiction Isn’t Very Different from Packing for a Flight and What to Do About It,” explored issues related to literary translation. The session began with a welcome address by Dr Eleni Doundoulaki, Secretary General for Contemporary Culture at the Ministry of Culture, followed by a conversation led by Sissy Papathanassiou, Director of Letters at the Ministry of Culture, with authors Victoria Hislop and Alex Preston, as well as Greek authors Minos Efstathiadis and Giannis Paschos. The discussion was moderated by Mika Provata-Carlone and Alexandra Samothraki and focused on the challenges, opportunities, and collaborative practices involved in translating Greek literature for international audiences.
The following day, the Greek National Pavilion hosted “Building Bridges – Translation Initiatives.” Presentations included national translation programmes, the Greek State Literary Awards, and the GreekLit programme supporting translation grants and residencies for translators. Speakers included Kassiani Benou of the Hellenic Foundation for Books and Culture and Georgios Perrakis of the Directorate of Letters at the Hellenic Ministry of Culture.
The programme featured an anniversary presentation, marking 45 years of the Hellenic Authors Society. Anna Afentoulidou, Secretary General of the Society, addressed the audience, and the session was moderated by Maria Papaioannou and Giorgos Mouroutis. The event was honoured by the presence of Sir Roderick Beaton, Emeritus Professor of the Koraes Chair of Modern Greek and Byzantine Studies at King’s College London.
Greece’s participation at the London Book Fair, organised by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the Hellenic Foundation for Books and Culture, provided a platform for authors, translators, and publishers to engage with the international literary community. Both events reflected Greece’s commitment to promoting contemporary literature abroad and supporting cultural exchange through translation initiatives.
References:
- https://www.linkedin.com/posts/greek-embassy-in-london-00049b25_londonbookfair-londonbookfair-greekbooksandauthors-activity-7436464125515567104-NdR7?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAFlymI0BKrIDYV9r3-olSjNb9n5E1wQmyF8
- https://www.linkedin.com/posts/greek-embassy-in-london-00049b25_greece-londonbookfair-greeksbooksandwriters-activity-7437201260270780417-vbMa?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAFlymI0BKrIDYV9r3-olSjNb9n5E1wQmyF8
