2015 Taipei International Book Exhibition

2015 Taipei International Book Exhibition begins on the 11th with major unprecedented features

The 2015 Taipei International Book Exhibition (TIBE) starts today at the Taipei World Trade Center Exhibition Halls 1 and 3 with 10 major unprecedented features; in which includes the New Zealand pavilion designed by the World Architecture News Award winner, Andrew Patterson.

A total of 682 publishers from 67 countries attend the exhibition and New Zealand is the Guest of Honour at TIBE 2015 under the theme “Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Books”.

During a press conference, the Minister of Culture of the Republic of China (Taiwan) Dr. Hung Meng-chi welcomes the New Zealand delegation and all overseas publishers to Taiwan. The New Zealand delegation is the largest group ever to attend the book fair, featuring 10 internationally famous writers, 7 Māori writers, 2 illustrators, and 3 graphic novelists. The eye-catching delegates include 2013 Man Booker Prize winner Ms. Eleanor Catton, blockbuster movie special effect production teams of the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit series, and a Māori performing arts group.

Ms. Catton said she is looking forward to celebrating New Zealand’s culture and literature with other New Zealand writers and to the prospect of learning more about local authors.

This year, the unprecedented features include:
1. Debut of indigenous literature—from both Taiwan and New Zealand;
2. Ms. Eleanor Catton, winner of the world-renowned Man Booker Prize in 2013 and a total of 22 New Zealand authors appearing at TIBE;
3. New Zealand theme pavilion designed by the World Architecture News Award winner Andrew Patterson, who drew his inspiration from a “tokotoko”, a Māori traditional walking stick.

Moreover, 2015 TIBE finally established an independent section for Graphic novels; the first-ever “Illustrators Wall”; the Dream and Experiment Exhibition and the first of all Asian book fairs to support free access for visitors under the age of 18 to promote reading among the younger generations.

The 2014’s TIBE attracted more than 500,000 people but with the free access feature in place this year, the number of visitors is anticipated to increase and pass this threshold.

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