Image: Book 2.0
By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson
Portugal’s Book 2.0: September 3 and 4
In its third year, Lisbon’s conference called Book 2.0: The Future of Reading (September 3 and 4) once again takes to the stage as the Portuguese Publishers and Booksellers Association‘s (APEL) flagship contribution to “a national strategy to promote reading and literacy in Portugal.”
The president of the International Publishers Association (IPA), Gvantsa Jobava, will be giving a keynote address on the first morning of the conference, in what will be her first chance to see Book 2.0 in action. At IPA, she says, “We’re delighted to be a partner of such an important event, and this year’s theme—”The Reinvention of the Species”—is particularly intriguing.”
In two days comprising 35 talks, more than 40 speakers, and supported by 18 partners, the Book 2.0 program stands alongside the Portuguese publishers’ association’s additional events that include World Book Day, Belém’s Book Party, the Lisbon Book Fair, and Portugal’s presence at Frankfurter Buchmesse (October 15 to 19), Bologna Children’s Book Fair (April 13 to 16), and other key events on the world industry calendar. Registration now is open for the Book 2.0 conference here.
Described by its organizers as the single largest event in Portugal and Europe to discuss the future of books, it’s also is a program admirably forthright about its challenges: “Portugal,” organizers tell the international press corps, “is a country that, despite notable advances in access to education and a rich publishing landscape, continues to rank among the lowest in Europe in terms of reading habits.”
And this year, the event is seated at one of the nation’s most imposing symbols of its forward-leaning interest in scientific research, the soaring waterfront Champalimaud Foundation complex near the 16th-century Tower of Belém. The Champalimaud, dedicated to advanced biomedical research, is where the publishers’ association will formalize a new intention to internationalize B0ok 2.0 “and expand its reach to other countries and cultural centers.”
And using statistics provided by GfK, the conference organizers say they see “a wave of strong enthusiasm for books in Portugal.” GfK reports 9-percent growth in the Portuguese market in 2024 over 2023, by value. That, in unit sales, meant some 14 million copies sold, and it’s reported that this rate of growth has continued in the first half of this year. Fiction leads market growth, “with notable increases in both general literature and children’s fiction.” And much of this is driven by young readers’ engagement—a trend we see in other parts of Europe—with various social media working as “channels for discovery and recommendation.”
The association’s emphasis is on the fact that even when the country sees the number of new titles published rising, “This upward trajectory must be consolidated through structural policies that promote reading and ensure wider access to books.”
‘A Decisive Moment for the Book Sector in Portugal’
The program’s theme “The Reinvention of Species,” refers to “an invitation to reflect how books, reading, and knowledge must adapt and evolve in an age shaped by artificial intelligence, digital acceleration, and ecological urgency. Structured around three core themes—the reinvention of books, of reading, and of human potential–Book 2.0 reinforces its role as an international forum for ideas, research, and action, offering diverse perspectives, emerging trends, and critical challenges facing the publishing sector.”
Miguel Pauseiro
Having made a point to welcome Portugal’s new government this summer, the president of APEL, Miguel Pauseiro, is keenly aware of the national responsibility the association and its conference have, saying, “We are living a decisive moment for the book sector in Portugal. The continued growth of the national book market, even amid international uncertainty and signs of stagnation—or even contraction—in some European countries, combined with shared challenges across borders and languages, and the growing international recognition of Book 2.0, demonstrate that we are building a model for dialogue that is both replicable and relevant beyond Portugal.
“We are actively working to launch an edition of Book 2.0 abroad in the near future. Our goal is to strengthen international cooperation in the publishing and bookselling sectors and to position reading and the protection of languages as a shared cultural policy priority across Europe.”
Margarida Balseiro Lopes
And Margarida Balseiro Lopes, Portugal’s minister for culture, youth, and sport, says, “Reading does not exist in isolation; it’s part of something much greater—an ecosystem in which culture, literacy, and education are interwoven and mutually reinforcing.
“At the heart of it all lies the book. A country that values books is one that understands education is not merely the transmission of knowledge, but also the cultivation of critical thinking, sensitivity and imagination. A reading society is a society that is better equipped, freer, and more conscious of the choices it makes.”
Among speakers from Portugal on the Book 2.0 roster are Analita Alves dos Santos; Carlos Fiolhais; Dino D’Santiago; Mariana Nunes; Mário Daniel; and Nuno Crato. And from outside Portugal, the speakers’ list includes the Federation of European Publishers president Sonia Draga, as well as Daniel Benchimol (Spain); Johan Pehrson (Sweden); José Eduardo Agualusa (Angola), Meg Jay (United States), Paula Pimenta (Brazil), and Pedro Pacífico (Brazil).
Gvantsa Jobava on ‘Strengthening Democracy’
International Publishers Association president Gvantsa Jobava at the 2025 World Expression Forum in Lillehammer, Image: WEXFO
In an exchange with Publishing Perspectives about what Book 2.0 attendees may expect when they hear IPA president Gvantsa Jobava speak on September 3, she refers to a “new mission” for the International Publishers Association and its 105 member-associations in 84 countries. The title of her address is “IPA’s New Mission: The Value of Publishing and Knowledge, and the Importance of Unity on a Collective Mission.”
Since becoming president in January, the Georgian publisher Jobava says, she has asked publishers “to look beyond our essential business interests and to refocus on the historic role of books in shaping free, equal, empathetic, and democratic societies. I’ve called for unity and solidarity—at both the national and international levels—because it’s only together that we can rise to meet the challenges of our time and safeguard the values we hold dear.”
She surveys “the broader context in which we find ourselves today in this era of wars and conflicts—when we are witnessing clear signs of democratic backsliding in different corners of the world; growing restrictions on human freedom; increasing inequality; and the erosion of rights affecting millions of people.”
“I firmly believe that in such turbulent times, a publisher cannot afford to be a passive observer. Action is in our DNA—and I believe our readers expect nothing less from us.”Gvantsa Jobava
Jobava says, “It’s not just the ‘trinity of freedoms’ [the freedom to publish, the freedom to read and the freedom of expression] that are in danger, but all democratic values in an increasing number of regions.
“I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again,” Jobava says, “I firmly believe that in such turbulent times, a publisher cannot afford to be a passive observer. Action is in our DNA—and I believe our readers expect nothing less from us.
“My personal experience as a committed civil society activist in my home country of Georgia—where we, too, fight daily to preserve our democracy—has shown me that meaningful change, lasting success, and, most importantly, victories that bring about real and fundamental transformation can only be achieved through unity, collaboration, and mutual support.”
And if making this connection between reading, the freedom to publish, and today’s threats to democratic values forms a new focus for the IPA’s mission, Jobava at Lisbon may also make it clear that one of the keenest dangers of the moment lies in the unlicensed use of copyrighted content by the generative AI systems of Big Tech.
“Generative AI platforms have used our books to train their large language models, their automatic writing machines,” she says. “But they’ve used our books without permission, without a license, without any degree of transparency, and without payment. As governments around the world are looking at their laws and how they apply to AI, we’re cooperating with our colleagues in many countries to underline that the basic principles of international copyright laws must also apply to tech platforms.”
Two years ago, during the first iteration of Book 2.0, Karine Pansa, Jobava’s predecessor as IPA president, spoke to the conference in Lisbon, and unity factored into her message, too—it’s a hallmark of the IPA’s 129 years of work in bringing publishers together, after all.
But Jobava is clear about a very specific need for that unity among publishers today, when she thinks about the operations of generative AI systems on the work of publishers and authors: “We need transparency from AI platforms about the data they use for training, and we need them to take out licenses if they want to use copyrighted works. And here again, we need our forces to be united to achieve our rights and be protected worldwide.”
The audience for the 2024 edition of the conference at Lisbon. Image: Book 2.0
Again registration now is open for the Book 2.0 conference here.
More from Publishing Perspectives on publishing conferences in the international book business is here, more on the Portuguese market is here, and more on publishing in Europe is here. Publishing Perspectives is the International Publishers Association’s world media partner.
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