In view of the risks posed by hosting a mass event during the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Book Council is regretfully announcing that the Malta Book Festival will not be taking place in its traditional brick-and-mortar form  but will be moving online. A number of small events with limited audience numbers will still be held at the Mediterranean Conference Centre.

Although the decision is made with a heavy heart, it is deemed necessary in the interest of audiences and the long-term existence of the event. The National Book Council cannot take the risk of being responsible for one single infection at the festival and cannot hold an event that would endanger clients, stakeholders and staff.

Furthermore, over the past seven years, the National Book Council has worked very hard to make the Malta Book Festival a reputable and successful brand. One single case would jeopardise all the hard work of the past years.

It is, therefore, clear that unless a vaccine is announced and distributed, or the virus and the pandemic dissipate in any other way, the Malta Book Festival cannot be held in its traditional form.

Should a vaccine be distributed in time, the National Book Council is ready to hold the event in its traditional format but, as it stands now, the Malta Book Festival 2020 will be held in a virtual form, and the public will be able to participate in events that will be streamed online on the National Book Council Facebook pages and Malta Book Festival 2020 event page, along with other events organised by publishers on their respective pages. As always, publishers, who are the main stakeholders of the Malta Book Festival, will be fully supported in this transition. Schoolchildren will still be able to attend events onlineand the usual book vouchers will also be made available.

The National Book Council is working towards delivering the same level of experiences between readers, authors and publishers that the community has come to expect of the festival but in a shape that reflects all the latest guidances and safety protocols. Even in the shape of a virtual festival, the Council believes that the events featuring the participation of local and international authors and publishers have the potential to convey the same spirit of exchange among a growing book-loving community.

The council sees this as an opportunity to facilitate the industry’s transition into the online retail sphere, to ensure that Maltese books are available for purchase in an easy and accessible way via websites and smartphone applications – the survival of the Maltese book industry depends also on this.

Simultaneously, the council is asking the government and the public broadcast provider to offer their full support in this necessary transition, thus supporting an industry which is crucial for the educational and intellectual development of society. 

The Malta Book Festival will be held from November 11 to 15. The full programme of events with all the activities will be issued in the coming months. For more updates on the festival and event details, visit the National Book Council’s website and Facebook pages.

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