The 77th Frankfurter Buchmesse repeats “Frankfurt Calling” to highlight “Perspectives on Culture and Politics”, exploring the power of dialogue across borders and including topics such as the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, authoritarianism, human rights and freedom of expression.
By Creatives Unite NewsroomFrankfurt Book Fair, the world’s leading event on the book sector, opens doors 15-19 October 2025.
This year’s edition sets Frankfurt as “The place where the world comes together”.
“In times of global tension, we need spaces for exchange, listening and cooperation more than ever before. Our mission is to connect people – as an international marketplace for rights and licensing, a stage for social debate, and a festival of compelling stories” states Juergen Boos, Director of Frankfurter Buchmesse.
“In Frankfurt, we celebrate books and the power of dialogue across all borders,” he continues.
In the 77th Frankfurter Buchmesse, a new Centre Stage is added and among other topics, the stage will feature Frankfurter Buchmesse’s programme ‘Frankfurt Calling – Perspectives on Culture and Politics'.
According to the organisers the programme will serve “as the forum for dialogue on human rights and freedom of expression, on the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, on authoritarianism and strategies of democratic resistance, and on the significance of artificial intelligence for the future of work and society”.
The book fair rebranded its cultural-political programming as “Frankfurt Calling” in 2024.
Among the highlights in this year's edition, Nobel Peace Prize laureate (2021) Maria Ressa will debate on security policy and human rights with former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
The booksellers Oleksii Erinchak from Kyiv and Mahmoud Muna from Jerusalem will talk about bookselling in times of war.
Participants include representatives from projects funded by Creative Europe, such as RISE and Read for Real, among others.
Different panels will discuss topics such as resisting attacks on freedom of expression, book bans and censorship.
This year’s programming partners include the United Nations, the European and International Booksellers Federation, PEN International and Amnesty International, among others.
Find more here
Image (c) Frankfurter Buchmesse 2025
