Yalla Collective Space & Café hosts the very first Nicosia Alternative Book Festival this Saturday and Sunday, showcasing publishing, political books, zines, discussions and ideas that rarely find space in mainstream festivals.

The two-day event brings together collectives, publishers and creators from Cyprus and Greece with the aim to showcase books, magazines and zines that often remain outside the shop window, open discussions on social and political issues without exclusions, resist censorship and the narrow boundaries of what is deemed acceptable, promote a culture of respect, collaboration, solidarity and self-organisation as well as lay the groundwork for festivals open to the languages and peoples of our region.

Saturday’s programme will open at 4pm with the open discussion 70 years since the founding of Eoka, based on the book ‘Assassination in Colonial Cyprus in 1934 and the Origins of Eoka’ by Andrekos Varnava. A panel discussion titled Censorship in Cyprus today will follow at 6pm before a punk-rock DJ set by Anoita Agoria wraps up the night at 9.30pm.

Sunday will again open with a discussion titled Cypriot Greek: From spoken to written word at 4pm. The panel discussion Publishing and Politics will follow two hours later welcoming publishers, bookshops, cultural shops, organisations and people.

“Come and meet independent publishers, join discussions, discover books, network, and support a space of free thought and expression in the heart of the city,” say the organisers.

1st Nicosia Alternative Book Festival

First edition of event with panel discussions and open talks. November 15-16. Yalla Collective Space & Café, Nicosia. 4pm. For publishing collectives wishing to participate: [email protected]