This online article was published on Facebook by afoa on 11/11/25.

The 1st Nicosia Alternative Book Festival is here!

The 1st Nicosia Alternative Book Festival will take place on the weekend of 15 and 16 November (11:00–20:00) at the Yalla Collective Space & Café on the Perikleous Street pedestrian walkway in Nicosia’s old town. Afoa community of struggle together with our social space, Yalla, and other groups participate in the co-organisation of this project.

This initiative is the result of a collaboration between collectives and individuals from the publishing sector in Cyprus and Greece. The group was formed to organise a festival whose core focus will be on publications (books, magazines, and zines), book presentations, and events that would otherwise struggle to find their space at other festivals or on bookshop shelves. At the heart of our festival will be books and events that promote discussion and seek to raise socio-political issues without discrimination (based on gender, race, or sexual orientation), and address censorship practices, which have become increasingly prevalent in recent years.

We aspire for the festival to promote and develop a culture of respect, cooperation, and solidarity. Furthermore, we are committed to the collective self-organisation of a festival that will not rely on sponsors or (establishment) institutions. Finally, we hope the festival will serve as a starting point for organising future festivals open to the languages and peoples of our region.

The festival programme will include open discussions such as: 70 years since the founding of EOKA: Prompted by the publication of Andrekos Varnava’s book ‘Assassination in Colonial Cyprus in 1934 and the Origins of EOKA’, and Cypriot Greek: from the spoken to the written word; as well as discussions on Censorship in Cyprus and Publications and politics. 

Participants include: Affect Editions, AFOA community of struggle, Ajar, Anarchist Perspective, Fisherwomxn, IWW, Moufflon Bookshop, Faura Books, OWK Press, Ideodromio Bookshop, Peridiavasi Bookshop, Ektos Grammis, Panoptikon, Cultural Foundation 1948, Potlatch, Psifides.

Any publishing venture wishing to participate may send an email to: nabf2025@gmail.com

For more information, follow us the festival’s page on Facebook: https:%%//%%www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61583003147383

Full programme of events

Saturday 15/11

-16:00–18:00
Open discussion: “70 years since the founding of EOKA”
Based on the book “Assassination in Colonial Cyprus in 1934 and the Origins of EOKA” by Andrekos Varnava
Organised by: Psifides Publications

-18:00–20:00
Panel discussion: “Censorship in Cyprus today”
Organised by: 1st Nicosia Alternative Book Festival

– 21:30–23:30
Punk Rock DJ Set with Anoita Agoria
After-hours at Yalla! A punk rock DJ set bringing the festival from the printed page to the soundwaves.

Sunday 16/11

-16:00–18:00
Open discussion: “Cypriot Greek: From spoken to written word”
Organised by: 1st Nicosia Alternative Book Festival

-18:00–20:00
Panel discussion: “Publishing & politics”
Organised by: Psifides Publications & Faura Books