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DEPUTY Minister of Creative Economy, Irene Umar, discussed publishing sector cooperation and Indonesia’s participation in the 2026 Frankfurter Buchmesse in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, with the President and Director of Frankfurter Buchmesse, Juergen Boos.
She emphasized that the collaboration with Frankfurter Buchmesse is part of efforts to strengthen the national publishing ecosystem.
“The Indonesian publishing industry has a strong and growing narrative. Through Frankfurter Buchmesse, the works of Indonesian authors can gain wider distribution, while also opening up opportunities for copyright development and the transformation of works into various creative formats. This effort is aimed at strengthening the intellectual property-based creative economy,” she said during an audience at the Autograph Tower on Wednesday (May 20).
Irene also emphasized that Indonesia’s participation in international forums such as Frankfurter Buchmesse plays a crucial role in strengthening Indonesia’s position as an active player in the global publishing industry.
“Indonesia’s participation in the Frankfurter Buchmesse also provides momentum to expand connections within the global publishing industry on a more equal footing, while strengthening the position of national authors and creative actors in the international ecosystem,” he said.
The government is encouraging the expansion of international cooperation through copyright trading, residency programs, co-publishing, and the development of IP adaptations into films, games, and digital platforms. Meanwhile, the President & Director of Frankfurter Buchmesse, Juergen Boos, stated that Indonesia has an increasingly important role to play in the global publishing industry.
“Indonesia has powerful stories and creativity that are relevant to a global audience. The potential for collaboration is vast, both in book publishing and the development of intellectual property rights and cross-media adaptations,” said Juergen Boos.
Frankfurt Buchmesse is the world’s largest book and content industry exhibition, having been held since 1949 with the tagline “The World Capital of Ideas.” In 2025, the event attracted more than 4,350 exhibitors from 100 countries and recorded around 238,000 visitors. Indonesia was the Guest of Honor in 2015 under the theme “17,000 Islands of Imagination” and continues to participate through a national pavilion focusing on copyright trade and publishing networks.
By participating in the Frankfurter Buchmesse 2026, which will take place from October 7–11, 2026, in Frankfurt, Indonesia hopes to expand the international exposure of Indonesian authors’ works while strengthening the national publishing industry’s connections with global partners. [traveltext.id]
