Adi Shalom

The International Writers' Festival of Mishkenot Sha'ananim and the International Book Forum will be held together for the very first time. This is the largest international literary event in Israel, attended by leading writers and publishing executives – from all around the world – to take part in cultural events open to the general public, including a professional conference held by the Forum.    The International Book Festival, which has hosted members of the international publishing community since 1963, has a new name, “The International Book Forum”, and a new format as an international publishing conference. The forum will be held, for the first time, alongside the International Writers Festival of Mishkenot Sha'ananim, which hosts leading writers from around the globe. So far, the Writers Festival has been held every two years, but now it will be an annual festival, which collaborates with the International Book Forum. The launch of this joint event is intended to expand the collaboration between Israeli and international publishing professionals and writers who will arrive at the forum and the festival, and to expose contemporary world literature to the general public.   © Shutterstock The spirit of independent thinking and creative freedom This year, the International Writers Festival will mark the spirit of independent thinking and creative freedom, and will host literary events with guest writers representing contemporary voices of world literature, in one-off me