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1st Alternative Book Festival of Nicosia: A brief initial assessment (Online Article)
Historical Note
This online article was published on 08/12/25 by the Nicosia Alternative Book Festival Organizing Team on Facebook.
Content
1st Alternative Book Festival of Nicosia: A brief initial assessment
On November 15-16, the 1st Alternative Book Festival of Nicosia took place in the old town of Nicosia. This is the first step in a journey that began with an idea that one of us put on the table a year ago, and which a group of five people set out to implement, proving that you don't need sponsors, institutions, or even large groups of people to create something beautiful. For two days, books and discussions about books, social, cultural, and political issues were brought to the heart of Nicosia.
Judging by the outcome, we can only be delighted with the hundreds of people who attended the Festival and the dozens who participated in the discussions and events we organized. We apologize that due to the large turnout, some people were unable to attend certain discussions.
We would like to start by expressing our gratitude. The organization and success of this festival would not have been possible without the contribution of individuals and collectives. We would like to thank the members of afoa and YALLA Collective Space & Café who supported us to the utmost, solving problems and helping us in every way possible. Special and warm thanks to Anoita Agoria, Mission Solidarity, and Nasis Books for their support, and to the neighborhood of Perikleous Street for welcoming us.
We would also like to thank all the projects and authors who participated, as a book festival cannot happen without books: [en:groups:1917|1917 Cyprus]], Affect Editions, Ajar, Beautiful Trouble, Fisherwomxn, IWW Cyprus, Levent Atikoğlu, Moufflon Bookshop, Faura Books, OWK Press, Anarchist Perspective, Ideodromio Bookshop, Peridiasis Bookshop, Kenos Publications, Ekto Grammi, Michalis Theodorou, Neo-Cypriot Association, Panoptikon, Cultural Foundation 1948, Potlats, Christos Achniotis, Psifides.
We would like to thank all those who accepted our invitation and spoke at the events: Vasiliki Zenonos, Maria Loizidou, Antonis Hatzikyriakou, Nicoletta Dimitriou, and Nicos Philippou.
Despite the success of the festival, we must mention that, unfortunately, we were not able to open up as much as we would have liked to the different communities on the island. We hope to achieve this at the next festival, details of which will follow in the near future.
Nicosia Alternative Book Festival Organizing Team
