Together on the way to Gothenburg: an inspiring day in Stockholm
On 24 November 2025, Flanders Literature and the Dutch Foundation for Literature hosted a special event in Stockholm as part of the buildup to the Guest of Honour programme at the Gothenburg Book Fair in 2027. Together with our Dutch colleagues, we welcomed a group of Swedish publishers to the Dutch embassy. The aim was to showcase the richness of Dutch‑language literature and to further strengthen ties with the Swedish book market.
A varied morning programme
After a warm welcome from Lotte Ysenbrandt (Diplomatic Representation of Flanders in the Nordic countries) and Johan Kollén (Gothenburg Book Fair), the day began on a playful note with an interactive quiz about Flanders and the Netherlands. Then, the spotlight turned to literature: two novels, two nonfiction titles and two children's and young adult books – one from Flanders and one from the Netherlands for each genre – were presented.
Translators brought the books vividly to life. For example, Urban Lindström championed Sander Kollaard’s A Dog's Day (‘Uit het leven van een hond’), and compared Jeroen Olyslaegers’ ‘De wonderen’ (‘The Miracles’) to Marguerite Yourcenar and W. G. Sebald, “but with a distinct Flemish temperament: earthy, physical and enchantingly beautiful.”
Translator Annika Johansson passionately explained why Els Beerten’s We All Want Heaven (‘Allemaal willen we de hemel’) and Bibi Dumon Tak’s Winter Animals ('Winterdieren') deserve a place on the Swedish market. Non-fiction specialists Patrick Peeters (Literature Flanders) and Victor Schiferli (Dutch Foundation for Literature) introduced Marta Claeys’ Pride ('Trots') and Eva Meijer’s The Life of Mice ('Muizenleven') respectively.
Let us fill our harbour with ideas, conversations, and plans. Let us work together to create a refuge for literature, where the free word not only survives but flourishes. Let us discover, translate, and spread each other’s literature.Lotte Ysenbrandt (Diplomatic Representation of Flanders in the Nordic countries)
Each pitch was followed by an excerpt in Swedish – an atmospheric interlude that brought the books even closer to the publishers in attendance. The morning concluded with an informal lunch, the perfect opportunity to exchange ideas and make plans for 2027.
Strengthening partnerships
After the event, genre specialists from Flanders Literature and the Dutch Foundation for Literature visited Stockholm-based publishers to introduce a selection of other exciting titles. Meanwhile, the core team for the Guest of Honour programme met with those responsible for Dutch language studies at Stockholm University and with colleagues from the Swedish Arts Council to explore future collaborations.
A Promising Step Towards Gothenburg
Under the heading ‘Harbours of Literature’, Flanders and the Netherlands will jointly host the Gothenburg Book Fair in 2027. ‘Harbours of literature are places where stories arrive and depart: open, free spaces where ideas are exchanged, new voices can flourish, and literature travels the world.
The Stockholm event builds on earlier initiatives such as fellowships for nonfiction, fiction, and children’s and young adult literature, as well as previous visits to Stockholm-based publishers. All these efforts share a single goal: to convince Swedish publishers of the richness, quality and diversity of Dutch-language literature.
The positive reactions during our meetings give us cause for optimism. In 2027, we aim to present a wide range of authors from Flanders and the Netherlands to Swedish readers in Gothenburg – and this event marked an important step towards achieving that goal.