Real World Book Day

Today is the real world book day. See UNESCO’s web pages on this.

Frankfurt Fellowship Programme 2009

Applications to participate in the Frankfurt Fellowship Programme should be submitted between 1st March and 30th April 2009.

Festa del libro in Paris

Festa del libro e delle culture italiane is taking place in Paris from 6th to 8th February. Livres Hebdo has published a report on the event.

Germans to fight google

The Börsenblatt reports that an alliance of German publublishers and authors will fight against Google Book Search.

Speaking Out for Free Expression

Article XIX has launched a new report, Speaking Out for Free Expression. Read it.

Three percent long list

The three percent long list of best translations in 2008 from the University of Rochester is now available. Three percent also produces an ongoing list of translations into English available in the US.

Le Clézio’s Nobel lecture

The full text (and video) of Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clézio’s Nobel lecture on 7th December 2008 is a stirring defence of the book and the need to respond to “the two great urgent tasks of human history, tasks we are far, alas, from having fulfilled. The eradication of hunger, and the elimination of illiteracy.”

Nordic Council Literary Prize

The nominations for this year’s Nordic Council Literature Prize have been announced. The winner will be chosen at a meeting of the Adjudication Committee in Copenhagen on 3 April 2009 and awarded at the Nordic Council’s 61st Session in Stockholm in October 2009.

The nominations from the national members of the Adjudication Committee for the Nordic Council Literature Prize 2009 are:

DENMARK
Helle Helle, Ned til hundene, Novel, Samleren, 2008
Ursula Andkjær Olsen, Havet er en scene, Poetry, Gyldendal, 2008

FINLAND
Jari Järvelä, Romeo ja Julia (Romeo and Juliet), Novel, Tammi, 2007 (Swedish translation, Mårten Westö)
Robert Åsbacka, Orgelbyggaren, Novel, Schildts, 2008

ICELAND
Auður A. Ólafsdóttir, Afleggjarinn (Stiklingen), Novel, Bókaútgáfan Salka, 2007 (Danish translation, Erik Skyum-Nielsen)
Sigurbjörg Þrastardóttir, Blysfarir (Fackeltåg), Poetry, JPV útgáfa, 2007 (Swedish translation, John Swedenmark)

NORWAY
Per Petterson, Jeg forbanner tidens elv, Novel, Forlaget Oktober, 2008
Øyvind Rimbereid, Herbarium, Poetry, Gyldendal Norsk Forlag, 2008

SWEDEN
Andrzej Tichý, Fält, Novel, Albert Bonniers Förlag, 2008
Johan Jönson, Efter arbetsschema, Poetry Collection, Albert Bonniers Förlag, 2008

FAROE ISLANDS
Tóroddur Poulsen, Rot (Röta), Poetry collection, Mentunargrunnur Studentafelagsins, 2007 (Swedish translation, Anna Mattsson)

GREENLAND
Mâgssánguaq Qujaukitsoq, Sisamanik teqeqqulik, Poetry collection, Forlaget Atuagkat, 2007

THE SAAMI LANGUAGE AREA
No nominations submitted

Welsh Assembly Minister represents UK culture at EU

On 21st and 22nd November the 2905th meeting of the Council of the European Union met to consider Education, Youth and Culture.  The press release indicates that many countries were represented by Ministers of Culture and Education, and the UK was represented by ex-TV director Alun Ffred Jones, who is listed as Minister for Heritage at the Welsh Assembly.

AIDS accountability?

For World AIDS Day (1st December)  AIDS Accountability International is releasing the first ever Country Scorecard of national responses to the AIDS epidemic. The new scorecard evaluates data that all UN Member States agreed to provide as part of their unanimous adoption of the United Nations 2001 Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS. The organisation states that the analysis “reveals a widespread lack of transparency and failure to report, by both rich and poor countries, that is seriously hindering the global AIDS response.”

Publishers, booksellers, and other book organisations seem to ignore World AIDS Day.  Try searching.