Debrecen4U November 28, 2025

Debrecen made an appearance at the Ljubljana Book Fair

The 41st Slovenian Book Fair is held in Ljubljana between November 24 and 30, with Hungary as the guest of honor at the week-long festival. It is an outstanding opportunity for Hungary and Hungarian culture to be the guest of honor at one of the country’s most significant literary and cultural events, which attracts more than 60,000 visitors annually, surpassing the attendance of the Vienna Book Fair.

The colorful programs of the guest of honor, such as the visit of writers Péter Nádas and Krisztina Tóth or the production of the Hungarian State People’s Ensemble, represent both Hungarian literature and Hungarian culture. Hungary’s stand awaits visitors with numerous books and curiosities, introducing the oeuvre of László Krasznahorkai, the Hungarian‑language literature of the Mura region, as well as the literary world of the city of Debrecen.

Debrecen is one of the literary centers of Hungary, so one of the main elements of the guest of honor is the presentation of the city’s literary heritage. One of the occasions for this is the Slovenian translation of Magda Szabó’s book Abigél, which has been published this year. Along with this, 3 works by Magda Szabó have already been published in Slovenian: Az őz and Az ajtó után (The Fawn and After The Door).

Debrecen literature has been given a separate literary corner at the Hungarian stand so that Slovenian visitors can get even closer to the city’s intellectual heritage, contemporary artists, and rich cultural traditions. All of this contributes to Debrecen appearing not only as one of Hungary’s leading cultural centers but also as a city that is becoming increasingly well‑known internationally. In addition to various Debrecen-related books (Magda Szabó, Szilárd Borbély, János Térey), tourist publications and information on the translators’ residency program have also been published.

On Wednesday’s program of the book fair, a literary discussion was held about the role of female writers, highlighting Magda Szabó and the Slovenian Karin Alma M. From Hungary, literary scholar Anna Juhász, the host of the Csokonai Társalgó series, spoke about the significance of the newly published volume Abigél, as well as about Magda Szabó’s work, highlighting its female aspects.

With the support of the city of Debrecen, the St. Ephrem Male Choir gave a concert as part of the book fair, where they presented, among other things, their Hungarian-language literary adaptations, drawing a full house. The performance provided a special musical and lyrical experience for visitors.

The Liszt Institute in Ljubljana pays special attention to the translation of Hungarian writers’ works into Slovenian. At the Hungarian stand of this year’s book fair, in addition to the newly-won Nobel Prize-winning author László Krasznahorkai, Magda Szabó’s books are the most sought-after.

Source:dehir.hu | Photo credit:Puskás István Facebook