7th Homeros Book Days Opens Its Doors with Great Enthusiasm

The grand literary celebration organized by Bornova Municipality in memory of master poet Attila İlhan, bringing 790,000 books together with the people of İzmir, has officially opened its doors with a magnificent ceremony. At the opening, Bornova Mayor Ömer Eşki expressed his disappointment over another book fair being held in İzmir on the same dates and invited all book lovers to join the great celebration, which will continue until the closing ceremony on October 4.

The 7th Homeros Book Days, organized by Bornova Municipality “in memory of Attila İlhan,” began with a magnificent ceremony at Sahne Homeros in Büyükpark. Welcoming book lovers from September 25 to October 4, 2026, the major event brings together 65 publishing houses, 440 authors and more than 790,000 books with readers in İzmir.

At the opening ceremony of the 7th Homeros Book Days, the great master Attila İlhan, in whose memory the event is being held, was commemorated with a memorable recital presented with the support of the Aegean Culture Platform. Bornova-based writer İbrahim Aktaş performed the master poet’s poem “An Gelir”, accompanied by violinist Veli Can Aksoy. The poem, combined with the emotional melodies of the violin, created deeply moving and unforgettable moments for the hundreds of book lovers attending the opening.

Mayor Eşki: “Book Days Is One of Our Most Special Efforts”

Bornova Mayor Ömer Eşki visited the publishing house stands one by one and chatted with authors and visitors, highlighting the tremendous effort behind the organization. Recalling that he was also present in the room where the idea for the event was first conceived, Mayor Eşki said:

“I know very well how much effort our colleagues at the Directorate of Culture have put into this. As Mayor, this is one of the events that excites me the most when I step onto the stage.”

Expressing his disappointment that another book fair was being held in İzmir on the same dates, Mayor Eşki evaluated the overlap with the following words:

“We are living in a period when publishing, writing books and reading are already difficult. As local governments, we need to provide every possible kind of support to literature and art. Although it saddens us that the date of another similar organization was changed and ended up coinciding with ours, we will continue to support reading, writing and literature with an approach that rises above politics. We are at Homeros Book Days, commemorating the master poet Attila İlhan. I hope that together we will organize the 17th and even the 27th editions of this wonderful event.”

Meaningful Messages from the Literary World

Speaking on behalf of the publishing houses, Prof. Dr. Cenker Atilla emphasized the importance of writing and expressing emotions throughout human history, noting that book fairs are one of the most important milestones in bringing authors and readers together. He thanked Bornova Municipality, saying:

“Someone looking from the outside might think that all that happens is that stands are set up and books are placed on them, but this is actually a very profound process. I would like to express my endless gratitude to everyone who contributed to the organization of Bornova’s 7th Book Days for creating this magnificent environment for bringing people together.”

The event’s Guest of Honor, acclaimed author Hidayet Karakuş, fondly commemorated Attila İlhan and said:

“Books are the foundation of civilization. Societies that do not read fall behind on the path of civilization. I would like to thank everyone who contributed to this organization, which plants the seeds of the future. I am proud to be the Guest of Honor at such a valuable event.”

The first major talk of the event was delivered by popular author and academic Saniye Bencik Kangal, known as the “Academic Mom.” Meeting with parents through her presentation titled “When Adolescence Slams the Door,” Kangal praised the Culture Directorate team for expanding the event through their own efforts rather than relying on an agency. She said:

“Achieving all of this is truly a tremendous accomplishment. I thank all my colleagues who contributed and hope that this wonderful tradition continues to grow.”

Kangal also signed copies of her books for readers.

Famous Authors Will Meet Their Readers

Bringing literature, art and thought to the heart of Bornova, the 7th Homeros Book Days will continue to host some of Türkiye’s most beloved authors, poets and thinkers in the coming days.

The highlights of the upcoming program are as follows:

• Saturday, September 26 (18:30): Guest of Honor Hidayet Karakuş — “The Language of Enlightenment” Talk and Book Signing
• Sunday, September 27 (18:00): Sinan Akyüz — “The Art of Writing a Novel” Talk and Book Signing
• Sunday, September 27 (18:00): Şehval Görmez — “The Courage to Be Yourself” Talk and Book Signing
• Wednesday, September 30 (18:00): Sedef Kabaş and Ferihan Karasu — “Inspiring Women” Talk and Book Signing
• Wednesday, September 30 (19:00): Altan Gördüm and Haluk Çetin — Poetry Recital, Music and Storytelling Evening
• Friday, October 2 (18:30): Şükrü Erbaş — “We Are the Broken, Fragmented Sentences of This World” Talk and Poetry Recital
• Saturday, October 3 (18:30): Adil Yıldırım — “Love Yourself First” Talk and Book Signing

As part of the event, which will continue through Sunday, October 4, book signings, workshops, children’s activities and panels will be held free of charge at Büyükpark, welcoming residents of İzmir.