The Social Book Forum (SBF) is a meeting place for books, readers, writers and activists to expand their political imagination and build civic solidarity for social justice and equality. The Forum aims to be part of the processes associated with the World Social Forum, proclaiming the principle "Another world is possible" and seeking to create new international connections between activists through books and reading.
The Forum does not represent the interests of any one group, being a non-partisan, non-confessional space, open for the free movement of ideas and the development of alternatives against all totalitarian views on the economy, culture, history, any subordination of one person over another, one society over another.
Forum program
The SBF program consists of discussion sessions, readings, exhibitions and book presentations, and was formed on the basis of three project directions: 1) translation into Russian and political readings from the collection “Lenin150 Samizdat” (2020); 2) artistic research and discussions about traditions and modern experiences of women's political reading and authorship in Kyrgyzstan; 3) research and discussion on civil society development and reading as an activist practice in Kyrgyzstan.
The SBF is organised by “Books for Development” with the support of the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation - Central Asia Office.
Book bazaar
In parallel, SBF will host a Book Bazaar with books provided by local bookshops and reading initiatives, discussions and seminars. A special place in the bazaar is occupied by samizdat - publications produced by public organizations, activists and independent publishing houses. The Book Bazaar is a voluntary non-profit initiative and its social character excludes commercial advertising and promotion of business interests.
To see an English translation of the Forum programme, go to the Social Book Forum page on this site.