11th – 16th December, 1995.
Forum, Capitolium and Diana galleries
The 1st BOOK FAIR IN ISTRIA happend without any major preparation, almoust accidentally as the result of numerous creative games, and as it was thought, temporary enthusiasm of the people gathered around the Pula bookstore Castropola. It was the first regional book fair in Croatia. At the Fair 56 Croatian publishers presented their publication on the stands improvised by Roman Višković, master of stage settings, in the City hall galleries at the marry, unpresumptuous „book party“ was accepted immediately and whole – hartedly by everyone (not counting the local malicious people): the radership, the publishers and the cultural public.
In the very concept of the Fair, everything is subordinated to the publisher and the Fair visitors. The publisher present their publications without having to worry about covering the expenses of stands and sales while the visitors in this game, are offered a big discount of 30% for all the presented publications.
The Fair was ideologically founded by Boško Obradović, the poet without whose imagination, experience and creative courage, this event would have never taken place. Along with him, the first fair was created by Magdalena Vodopija, Tereza Pulja, Vojislav Stojković-Stole and 15 students from faculties in Pula.
„The whole atmosphere about a book – a book as a personality cult, this is where our chances lie. This is also an opportunity for this Fair, as well as the answer to the question: How to become a part of the cultural tradition?! Let the book make us happy an wise!“ These were the words that, spoken from the balcony on the Forum announced the opening of the FIRST BOOK FAIR IN ISTRIA during a warm December morning in 1995, in front of more then 1000 people.
