On the occasion of the European Day of Languages, the Romanian Cultural Institute in Beijing organized, on Saturday, 26 September 2026, at the Italian Cultural Institute in Beijing, together with the other members of the EUNIC China Cluster – European Union National Institutes for Culture, the third edition of “Reading Europe: Books and Publications from the European Union.”
The event brought together 13 European countries, represented by embassies, cultural institutes and organizations belonging to the EUNIC China Cluster. The project was conceived to promote Europe’s linguistic, publishing and cultural diversity, enhance the visibility of national literatures, and strengthen Europe–China cultural dialogue through books, reading and direct engagement with the public.
The official opening was delivered by Elisa Messina, Director of the Italian Cultural Institute in Beijing, and Andreea-Ema Stoian, President of EUNIC China. Their remarks highlighted the importance of European cultural cooperation in China, the Cluster’s capacity to bring together distinct national identities within a shared framework of representation, and the role of reading as a means of knowledge, dialogue and greater understanding between societies.
The programme took place between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., with admission organized in two consecutive time slotsin order to facilitate visitor flow and encourage direct interaction between the public and representatives of the participating countries. The event attracted approximately 450 visitors, confirming the strong interest of Beijing audiences in European literature, languages and cultural heritage.
Each participating country presented its own selection of books and publications, offering visitors a concise yet diverse perspective on its literary, artistic and intellectual heritage. Members of the public were able to browse, read, purchase or receive books in several languages, ranging from fiction and children’s literature to art albums, publications on cultural heritage and cultural history, as well as volumes devoted to major personalities and representative fields of European culture.
A distinctive component of the 2026 edition was the children’s section, conceived to introduce younger audiences to European literature, linguistic diversity and the visual universe of illustrated books. Through a selection of stories, picture books and educational publications, the project presented the European cultural dimension in a format that was both accessible and engaging for children and families.
The Romanian stand was organized by the Romanian Cultural Institute in Beijing under the coordination of Andreea-Ema Stoian, Principal Relations Officer, with the support of Natalia, a student of the Romanian-language programme at Beijing Language and Culture University. The editorial selection sought to present as broad a perspective as possible on Romanian culture and included albums on Romania, cultural and artistic heritage, national treasures, music and traditional costume; Romanian literature in several languages; children’s books; and publications devoted to representative personalities and fields of Romanian culture, including literature, theatre, film and music.
With the participation of 13 countries, an audience of approximately 450 visitors, the diversity of the editorial selections and the interactive nature of the programme, the third edition of “Reading Europe” further consolidated its position as one of the EUNIC China Cluster’s recurring initiatives with significant public visibility. The event also demonstrated the effectiveness of cooperation among Cluster members and the potential of joint projects to provide European cultures with a broad, coherent and relevant platform for representation in China.
