Hi!
At last. At last, I can tell you about the book festival I visited the other day. The spicy news from russia took all of our attention. Unfortunately, they even cannot arrange the proper coup.
Why do you need to know about the book festival?
It happens annually (in June mostly) in Kyiv, so someday you might visit it and enjoy the atmosphere, books, art, and people.
The first International Book Arsenal Festival (website) was held in May 2011. Last year we missed the Festival because of the full-scale war. This year (as I mentioned once), we adjusted to the war.
Also, in 2020, the Festival was held online. During it, the Ukrainian authors presented their books to foreign publishers. Some pitching.
We probably need a photo. I did some (strange) experiments, so my pictures are quite different today.
War: Can I?
Me: Oh my, you. Yes?
War: I don't like it.
Me: You don't like what?
War: That the Festival happened. I'm here. Can't you see?
Me: We are strong enough to have book festivals in your hugs.
War: Remember. I don't like it.
Me: What are you doing? Are you smoking?
War: Yes. And what? I am bored.
Me: So, should I dance?
War: It would be funny. Haha. I love your sense of humor, babe.
A few words about the festival venue. It occurs in Mystetsky Arsenal, a cultural place combining modern art, music, literature, theatre, and museum. You may visit different exhibitions and events there.
Please, save the address: Lavrska Street, 10-12. It's very close to Kyiv Pechersk Lavra.
If you go by metro, you need the Arsenalna station. It usually takes 15-20 minutes to get there from the subway.
War: What is it?
Me: On the picture? Are you interested? Hm.
War: Just tell me.
Me: Oh, these toys I saw at the Festival. The boy made them. In the early days of a full-scale invasion, he began to draw. Soon he moved to the village where he spent the first five years of his life. He fled there because of fear and the desire to hide somewhere. And in the village, he saw his toys. And he started to make toy monuments (the ones you can see in the picture above).
War: Wow! What the story you told me. Warcoffee?
Me: No, it's late here.
War: Can you make me some? 
Ok. I want to take you back to the Book Festival.
Usually, you can see the publishers that have stands there. But this year, there were large bookstores. As I read, it was made because of the unequal conditions of work of publishers during the war. The war makes it impossible to represent publishing houses in the format of individual stands equally and also creates additional security requirements.
I want to share the new titles presented at the Book Arsenal Festival. Yes, the books are in Ukrainian (you can find them here). But I do want you to see these new titles as they symbolize our resilience too. We publish books during the war.
Some mood pictures from the Festival for you. I do hope that you will visit it someday after our victory
Me: Do you know when we should expect it?
War: What?
Hugs,
Yara (or Yaroslava)