A new chapter – Malta Book Festival about to go virtual
The Malta Book Festival has now established itself as the most prestigious event revolving around books in Malta – the foremost book celebration in the country’s cultural calendar.
Organised by the National Book Council, the literary festival is one of the popular draws of the autumn months in the Maltese islands and annually boasts an attendance rate of over 40,000 visitors. With the participation of more than 40 exhibitors, it also offers extensive networking opportunities for industry professionals.
Under normal circumstances, the five-day-long festival would have seen the start of what has become an annual ritual: the migration of book lovers to the Mediterranean Conference Centre, as well as over five thousand students and teachers from all schools in Malta and Gozo during weekdays. COVID-19 has however drawn a line through the National Book Council’s original plans. In its place, the organisers have gone virtual with a free condensed online programme.
The 2020 Malta Book Festival will still run from November 11–15 as previously announced. However, instead of putting up the events at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, there will be a special curated online...