For the 2023 edition of the Frankfurter Buchmesse (October 18th – 22nd), Fondazione LIA is organizing two Readings in the dark to promote the themes of accessibility and inclusion. The events will be held in German and are aimed respectively to an audience of adults and to one of children. These Readings were organized in collaboration with international partners and in the framework of Aldus UP, the European Book Fairs network promoting the internationalization of the book sector and the innovation of the book fairs format.

The Reading in the dark® is a format created by LIA: an engaging event to address themes such as the socio-cultural inclusion of people with visual disabilities.

Through the absence of light, a Reading in the dark cancels any distinction between those who read with their eyes, those with their hands, and those with their ears. Famous writers and blind or visually impaired readers alternately read the same book, revealing the different ways of using it.

The two Readings are part of the Frankfurter Buchmesse events about accessibility. For more information on the professional ones organized by LIA on those days, see also:

Buchmesse 2023. LIA’events on accessibility

The events

October 19th, 7.30 PM

Orangerie in the Günthersburgpark, Frankfurt

On Thursday evening, in the framework of Aldus UP, a Reading in the dark (in German) will be held in the beautiful setting of the Orangerie in Günthersburgpark. The event is organized in collaboration with: Fondazione LIA, Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels, Frankfurter Buchmesse, mediacampus frankfurt, Blinden- und Sehbehindertenbund in Hessen e.V. (BSBH), dzb lesen.

Roman Rozina and Sabine Lohner will read excerpts from the book Hundert Jahre Blindheit, monumental Slovenian family novel set in the 20th century. Gesa Ufer (radio eins) will also participate in the event as moderator.
More info about the event: www.buchmesse.de/en/event/reading-darkr-hundert-jahre-blindheit-ein-roman-von-roman-rozina-klett-cotta-verlag

October 21st, 11.00 AM

DIALOGMUSEUM, Frankfurt

The event is aimed for an audience of children and it is divided into two activities: in the first part, participants are invited to sit around Petrine Waagö who will read the book Volle Fahrt ins Abenteuer by author Katharina Reschke in digital Braille.

Afterwards, they will be able to have firsthand experience with Braille, through a practical workshop that will show how the reading system works and why it is so important for inclusion.

The event is organized in the framework of Aldus UP and in collaboration with: Fondazione LIA, DIALOGMUSEUM, Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels, Frankfurter Buchmesse, Blinden- und Sehbehindertenbund in Hessen e.V. (BSBH), dzb lesen.

More info about the event: www.buchmesse.de/en/event/reading-braille-eine-lesung-fur-kinder-10-jahre-im-dialogmuseum