Crowdfunding Children’s Books in Ukraine

Campaign for Ukraine Children’s Books

The Federation of European Publishers held a press conference on Tuesday 22nd March at Bologna Book Plus to announce the launch of a crowdfunding scheme to raise funds for printing children’s books in the Ukrainian language across Europe. To support refugees left with nothing and to ensure the books can be made easily available to Ukrainian children. Two Ukrainian publishers attended.  FEP has made Ukraine an honorary member and will be underwriting a bank account for them in Europe to manage funds for printing books in Europe.

Peter Kraus vom Cleff, President of the Federation of European Publishers and Ricardo Franco Levi, Vice-President and President of the Italian Publishers Association, said: “in this terrible time of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, our friends and colleagues from the Ukrainian Book Institute asked us to lend support to collect money to continue printing Ukrainian books and distribute them to children. It is clear that it is our duty to help our fellow publishers in Ukraine and to make it possible for Ukrainian children to have access to books. It is important for the book world to show solidarity. If you can, please donate, all money will be spent to print books and will be managed by the UBI”.

All the money collected will be managed remotely by the UIB, responsible for choosing the titles and coordinating with local relays for the printing and distribution of the books to the children. The FEP is the guarantor of this operation.

Donate here

More info on the press conference here: https://publishingperspectives.com/2022/03/at-bologna-a-new-campaign-for-ukraines-childrens-books/

There was a strong response to this talk and many other mentions and showing of support for Ukraine throughout the fair. Russia was banned from attending.