About Us
BOOK PUBLISHERS’ ASSOCIATION, A GREEK NON-PROFIT ASSOCIATION, WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1980 AND CURRENTLY HAS 213 MEMBERS.
As an independent association, it is funded through membership fees, book exhibitions, and other non-profit initiatives.
Its mission is carried out across several key areas:
- Advocating Across the Book Industry: The Association conducts systematic research into the challenges faced by all sectors of the book industry –from authors, translators, editors, booksellers, and salespeople, to printers and bookbinders. It maintains close ties with professional unions and stakeholders to foster collaboration, resolve issues, and advocate for shared interests.
- Improving Publication Quality: It works to elevate the technical and aesthetic standards of Greek publications, ensuring they remain competitive in the global marketplace.
- Promoting a Culture of Reading: Through diverse initiatives, media outreach, and modern promotional strategies, the Association actively cultivates a love for books (bibliophilia) among the public.
- Modernizing Libraries: It champions the creation of a modern, nationwide network of fully functional school libraries, as well as the establishment of well-equipped public libraries throughout the country –both aligned with contemporary European standards and coordinated under a unified national framework. Through ongoing, multifaceted campaigns, the Association promotes books and enhances their visibility in the public sphere, while actively engaging and supporting teachers and educators in fostering a genuine love of books and a lasting appreciation for reading among students.
To support these goals, the Book Publishers’ Association organizes major annual events, such as the Book Festival and the Book Bazaar, alongside ongoing promotional campaigns and awareness efforts.
The Association engages in high-level dialogue with government ministries and institutions to address the industry’s challenges and to advocate for official recognition of the publishing profession’s distinct character. It seeks acknowledgment of the vital contribution books make to the country’s cultural, educational, and scientific development, recognizing that books are far more than mere commodities. They disseminate knowledge, transmit ideas and values, cultivate aesthetic appreciation, and play a formative role in shaping individual character.
Due to its self-sustaining structure, the Association has fully digitized its operations and offers its members legal, financial, and communication support.
It closely monitors global publishing trends and actively participates in international book fairs and related activities.
At its core, the Association and its members are united by the belief that the book is a supreme cultural asset of national significance.