Styrker fellesskap på tvers av landegrenser

For tredje år på rad arrangerte Den europeiske og internasjonale bokhandlerforeningen (EIBF) Rise Bookselling Conference. I år møttes 300 bokhandlere fra 30 land til to dager med konferanse i Riga 22. og 23. mars 2025. I alt kunne deltagerne velge mellom 30 inspirerende foredrag og panelsamtaler.

– Konferansen er en fantastisk mulighet til å møte nye folk, dele ideer og få inspirasjon til å lykkes i en bransje som stadig endrer seg, sier Anne Schiøtz, direktør i Bokhandlerforeningen. – Ikke minst styrker det fellesskapet som binder bokhandlere sammen på tvers av landegrenser.

En diktators verste mareritt

I sin velkomsttale kalte president i Den europeiske bokhandlerforeningen, Fabian Paagman, konferansen for «a dictator’s worst nightmare»:

– Dette rommet må være en diktators verste mareritt. I en tid der grunnpilarene i demokratiet og ytringsfriheten er under press, har bokhandlernes rolle aldri vært viktigere. Vi er ikke bare forretningseiere – vi er kulturens voktere, forsvarere av den frie tanke og forkjempere for historiene som må fortelles. Hver bok vi legger i hendene på en leser, er en handling i opprør mot uvitenhet, splittelse og frykt.

(Fritt oversatt fra engelsk – hele talen er vedlagt nederst i saken på originalspråket.)

Bokhandler i krise og vekst

Blant de mest gripende innleggene under konferansen var historien til ukrainske Oleksii Erinchak, som har åpnet flere bokhandler i Kyiv under den pågående invasjonen fra Russland. Bokhandlene har blitt viktige samlingssteder, særlig for unge, men han pekte også på de store utfordringene ved å drive bokhandel i et land i krig. Innlegget ble møtt med stående applaus.

Et annet høydepunkt var Nadia Wassef, som i 2002 var med på å grunnlegge Diwan Bookstore. I dag er det Egypts ledende bokhandelskjede, med ti filialer og eget forlag. Wassef ble kåret til Årets kvinne i 2022 og har vært på Forbes’ liste over Midtøstens 200 mektigste kvinner.

Vil varmt anbefale konferansen til andre bokhandlere

Cecilie Brun Løwe, rektor ved Fagskolen for bokbransjen, og Åshild Vere Jacobsen fra Kulturbokhandelen i Farsund deltok i hver sin panelsamtale. Jacobsen holdt innlegg om hvordan man kan gjennomføre kulturelle arrangementer i bokhandelen.

– Jeg vil varmt anbefale konferansen til andre bokhandlere! Det er verdifullt å kunne dele erfaringer med bokhandlere fra så mange ulike land, sier Åshild Vere Jacobsen.

Om RISE Bookselling Conference

Rise Bookselling Conference er støttet av EU og driftes og gjennomføres av Den Europeiske og Internasjonale Bokhandlerforening (EIBF). Bokhandlerforeningen i Norge er medlem i EIBF og alle norske bokhandler kan delta på konferansen.

RISE Bookselling Conference 2026 arrangeres i Verona 19. og 20. april.

Fabian Paagmans åpningstale: – We are guardians of culture

Les hele åpningstalen fra EIBF-president Fabian Paagman under RISE Bookselling Conference 2025 i Riga.

Ladies and gentlemen, dear colleagues, dear friends,

Welcome to the third edition of the RISE Booksellers Conference! It is truly a pleasure to see so many familiar faces, and just as exciting to welcome new ones. This weekend, we gather here as a community—not just as booksellers, but as cultural ambassadors, as champions of literature, and as custodians of the stories that shape our world.

I believe in the power of books. And that is why we are all here today. Because whether you run a small independent bookshop in a quiet village or a large bookstore in a bustling city, we share the same passion: connecting people with stories that shape and change the world. This gathering today is a testament to the strength and unity of the bookselling community—a community that EIBF is proud to serve and support.

For those of you who may not be familiar with our work, the European and International Booksellers Federation (EIBF) is based in Brussels, at the very heart of European policymaking. The EIBF team works tirelessly to advocate for booksellers, ensuring that their voices are heard by policymakers, both in Europe and across the world. But our mission goes beyond lobbying. We are here to connect— to bring together booksellers – through your national booksellers’ associations – from every corner of the globe. We make sure that our members learn from each other, exchange ideas, and share knowledge. Because in a world that is changing rapidly, our greatest strength lies in collaboration. And that is what this conference is all about. This conference is more than just an event; it is a meeting of minds, a celebration of our shared passion for books, and an opportunity to equip ourselves with the tools and ideas that will help us thrive in an ever-changing industry.

Over the next two days, you will meet new friends, exchange ideas, and return home with a bag full of inspiration—perhaps not just metaphorically, but literally! Because if there’s one thing we booksellers can’t resist, it’s filling our bags with books, notes, and new discoveries.

We often say that a well-read world is a united world. But let’s take a moment to reflect on what that truly means. As booksellers, we do far more than sell books. We curate ideas, preserve identities, and foster dialogue. Each book on our shelves is a gateway to a different world—a different perspective, a different culture, a different way of seeing. In our hands, literature becomes a bridge between communities, helping people understand each other’s hopes, struggles, and dreams.

How can societies collaborate, innovate, and progress if they do not know each other? If they do not understand each other? Books provide that understanding. And bookshops are the doorways to that knowledge. When a customer steps into a bookshop, they don’t just browse; they explore. They challenge their own perceptions, they discover new voices, and, most importantly, they connect—with ideas, with history, and with the world around them. And that is why what we do is so important.

In an era where the foundations of democracy and free expression are being tested, our role as booksellers has never been more vital. We are not just business owners; we are guardians of culture, defenders of free thought, and champions of the stories that must be told. Each book we place in a reader’s hands is an act of defiance against ignorance, against division, against fear.

This weekend is about learning, sharing, and rising together. We are here to discuss the challenges we face, to celebrate the successes we’ve achieved, and to explore the opportunities that lie ahead. We are here to inspire each other and to strengthen the bonds that make this community so special. So, whether you’ve traveled from the bookshops of Brussels, the libraries of Lisbon, the markets of Melbourne, or the literary cafés of Baku—know that you are among friends.

Let us embrace the discussions ahead with curiosity. Let us challenge each other with bold ideas. And above all, let us continue our work with the passion and conviction that define us as booksellers. Thank you—and welcome to Riga!