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Lithuanian language and literature have always been an important integral part of Lithuanian cultural identity. When in the 19th century the Czar of Russia prohibited the distribution of written Lithuanian, the oldest live Indo-European language, the unique phenomenon of book contraband, so-called “book-carrying”, emerged in Lithuania. Poetry and prose written in the Lithuanian native tongue during these years of suppression was one of the resistance forms against the soviet regime by the Lithuanian society.

Lithuanians traditionally love and highly appreciate books and literature. At present the publishing industry in Lithuania is one of the most developed areas of cultural industry. The State provides support to publishing books significant for Lithuanian culture and distribution of Lithuanian literature in foreign languages. The International Vilnius Book Fair, annually held in Lithuanian capital, is the largest and most important event of the kind in the Baltic States. The number of Fair visitors and invited international guests has been growing every year, and this trend shows that Vilnius Book Fair has become one of the largest and most frequented cultural events in the capital of Lithuania. The most beautiful book contest introduced in the Fair provides a chance to evaluate top works by book illustrators and designers.

The art of book publishing and literature contributes to representation of Lithuanian culture abroad. Up to the present, Lithuanian, German and Swedish cultural communities have preserved good memories about successful and interesting presentations of Lithuanian literature and culture at the International Book Fair in Frankfurt, 2002, and International Goteborg Book Fair, 2005. Each year Lithuanian publishers participate in this most significant of the book fairs held all around Europe. Lithuania has been invited as a main guest country to the International Book Fair 2007 in Turin, which is one of the largest and most significant book fairs in Italy.

Literature presentations in foreign countries require a good command of foreign languages and cultures, so a successful program must include presentations of translated and original books, literature readings, seminars held on history, culture, geopolitics and other relevant issues, art exhibitions and other events. The set of complex measures contribute to better understanding of common historic and cultural contexts, strengthening of the dialogue between countries, trust in and willingness to better understand each other. Each fair is also an excellent place to develop international publishing business relations, discover the unknown through extremely rich and interesting world of culture and literature and present this all to the readers. For the same reasons Lithuanian literature has already been considered or soon will be a discovery to many readers in Germany, France, Russia, Sweden and other countries.