Budapest Book Week 2025 Launched

The book market has undergone significant changes in recent years, but books as a medium for culture, knowledge, and identity are not disappearing; rather, their role and accessibility are changing, Katalin Gál, president of the Association of Hungarian Publishers and Book Distributors (MKKE), emphasized at the opening of the 96th Book Week on Thursday at Vörösmarty Square in downtown Budapest.

The president stressed that despite the difficult year behind us, there are many stands, about 170, in the square and along the Danube promenade. It is likely that next year will not be any easier, as the book market has recently undergone significant changes, and this is likely to continue.

As she said, the cost of producing books is rising, and so are book prices, and readers' attention spans are shrinking, but books as a form of culture, knowledge and identity will not disappear, although their role and accessibility are changing.

She pointed out that the future of the Hungarian book market also depends on the extent to which society and decision-makers value reading as a cultural and intellectual foundation. He added that the future of books is not only an economic issue, but also a shared social responsibility.

An optimistic vision for books requires economic stability, low inflation, and adequate purchasing power, as well as education in reading at home and at school, he emphasized. “We must insist on the recognition that access to books is not a privilege, but a fundamental human right,” she stated.

Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony underlined that reading and the inclination and ability to read are prerequisites for a well-functioning democracy, as democracy is built on informed citizens who make decisions based on knowledge and information.