The Embassy of Finland in Bucharest, guest of honor at Gaudeamus International Book Fair  

The 2013 edition of Gaudeamus International Book Fair took place between the 20^th and the 24^th of November at Romexpo. This edition's guest of honor was the Group of the Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. The Nordic presence at Gaudeamus represented a varied and consistent schedule, which included over thirty book launches, conferences, movie projections and creative workshops.

The Embassy of Finland in Bucharest was present at Gaudeamus during all the five days of the fair and had the pleasure to offer the public not only conferences and book launches, but also the possibility to go through the latest and the most famous Finnish novels translated into Romanian.

Finnish author Salla Simukka second from right

On Wednesday, the 20^th of November, the Nordic Stand hosted the conference 'Scandinavian values and symbols in the Romanian society: history, common points and perceptions' held by prof. Dr. Silviu Miloiu. The conference was followed by the launch of the work Titus GârbeaMemorial și însemnări zilnice, an edition by Silviu Miloiu, published at Cetatea de Scaun Publishing House. Both the conference and the launch took place in the

Finnish author Antti Tuomainen second from right

presence of H.E. Ambassador of Finland to Romania Mrs. Ulla Väistö. Also on Wednesday the Romanian-Finnish coproduction Cross Dates was projected.

On Thursday, the 21^st of November, a special event reunited all the ambassadors of the invited countries. The event consisted of a bicycle tour of Romexpo each ambassador took in order to make a statement for sustaining and promoting an ecologic way of

Welcome green lifestyle!

life.

Saturday, the 23^rd of November was the most important day for the two Finnish writers invited to launch their latest book at Gaudeamus. Starting with 1 PM the young writer Salla Simmuka presented her first novel translated into Romanian,  Roșu ca sângele (As Red as Blood), published by Trei Publishing House. At the launch there were present, besides the author, the translator of the novel, Sigrid Crăsnean and Magdalena Mărculescu, editorial director at Trei Publishing House.

Starting with 3 PM followed the second Finnish book launch, that of Antti Tuomainen's Tămăduitorul (The Healer), a Romanian version also by Trei Publishing House. H.E. Ambassador of Finland to Romania Mrs. Ulla Väistö was present at both events and had short speeches. The launches ended with autographs sessions demanded by the large number of Romanian readers that showed up at the stand.

If during the first three days the Nordic Stand hosted creative workshops for children, on Saturday and Sunday the Children's Stand in Romexpo hosted a team of actors from Țăndărică Theatre, who read stories. The little ones found out the stoy of Santa Claus by the Finnish writer and cartoonist Mauri Kunnas.

The ending ceremony of Gaudeamus International Book Fair bought each representative of the invited Nordic country a participation diploma offered by the organizers.