Publishing Ireland supports Ukrainian Publishers Association.
As a member of the Federation of European Publishers (FEP) and International Publishers Association (IPA), Publishing Ireland stands in solidarity with these organisations, governments around the world, and most importantly with the people of Ukraine, in condemning Russia’s attack on Ukraine. The work of Publishing Ireland is founded on a belief that there is strength in communication, and a vision for Ireland and for Europe in which publishing thrives, representing varied cultural experiences. We offer Ukrainian publishing associations our full support and will follow developments, particularly via the FEP and IPA.
FEP has voiced its indignation towards the attacks from the Russian attacks in Ukraine.
The Federation of European Publishers condemns Russia’s attack on Ukraine. This attack is a threat not just to Europe but also to the entire world, to quote the European Parliament’s President’s words, Roberta Metsola. Our thoughts are with the people of Ukraine and of the region, and especially with our colleagues, authors, translators, publishers, booksellers, and librarians. Keep writing, translating, publishing, and giving access to books. Even if they are a fragile rampart against the bombs, books and reading are essential to democracy. Ukraine is a free country in a free Europe, and has the right to peace and democracy, for its citizens to live in safety, and to territorial integrity. We are very fortunate that this year, Ukraine is one of the participating countries in the European Union Prize of Literature (EUPL). Ukraine is part of Creative Europe, of our common European family, and we believe that literature brings a message of peace and allows all European citizens to be “united in diversity”.
IPA Secretary General, José Borghino response to the Ukrainian Publishers and Booksellers Association
Dear Oleksandr,
Thank you for your open letter of 24 February. I am deeply saddened by what has happened in Ukraine and I pray that you, your family, your friends and all our publishing colleagues from the Ukrainian Publishers and Booksellers Association have been able to find relative safety. I have been in touch with your son, Andrew, who tells me that you and your wife are safe for the moment but that food is becoming scarce and that you sleep in air-raid shelters most nights. In responding to you, I am relaying your call for support to all of IPA’s members, and I know that there are many already looking to find ways to support you.
We condemn this criminal Russian invasion in the strongest possible terms. The IPA was founded with the intention of supporting peace. Our first President, Georges Masson, stated at our inaugural Congress in 1896 that ‘the first International Publishers Congress … is one of many gatherings whose purpose is to multiply peaceful relations between nations, in encouraging the visible tendency of peoples to join more and more through a community of interests.’ Nothing in the intervening 125 years has changed that stance.
Our current President, Bodour Al Qasimi, also asked me to share the following statement on behalf of the IPA: ‘The IPA stands in solidarity with publishers in peril all around the world and, especially at this moment, with our member in Ukraine, the Ukrainian Publishers and Booksellers Association. We are following developments and discussing how IPA can be of most assistance to our member. In times of peace, books have a powerful uniting force. In times of conflict, books are even more important in fostering hope, supporting reconciliation, and cementing peace.’
All our Ukrainian colleagues are in our thoughts, and I hope that peace will be restored very soon. I look forward to spending time with you all in Kyiv, at the Book Arsenal Festival or visiting Mikhail Bulgakov’s house. We send you our hopes, solidarity and love.
Yours sincerely, José Borghino
Press Release: FEP invites the Ukrainian Publishers Association as Special Guest
Since the very first days of the conflict, the Federation of European Publishers has voiced its condemnation of the Russian war against one of our European neighbours: Ukraine.
Today FEP’s President Peter Kraus vom Cleff has written to the President of the Ukrainian Publishers and Booksellers Association, Oleksandr Afonin, inviting the UPBA to be a Special Guest of FEP. Ukrainian publishers are European publishers and FEP wants to show its full solidarity to colleagues in Ukraine.
Peter Kraus vom Cleff said: “This attack is a war on Ukraine, and it is a war on Europe. Although it may seem derisory when one sees the bombs killing brave Ukrainians, European publishers want to support their fellow colleagues in inviting them to be Special Guest of our joint Federation”.
FEP will liaise the UPBA to support them as much as possible with concrete actions. FEP will invite the UPBA to upcoming meetings
