“Silent Reading Speaks Volumes”. A special meeting of the Silent Book Club

Europe reads: even in the 21st century, reading is extremely popular. BookTok and global publishing phenomena prove that books have not gone to waste at all. New event formats, such as the world-famous Silent Book Clubs, bring people together around a shared passion for reading. The main point of the program is a “silent reading session”: everyone brings with them a book that they are currently reading. Then, for a full hour, everyone is silent, immersed in reading and basking in the common peace. Before and after the session, participants can talk to each other, make new friends and seek reading inspiration.

The Silent Reading Speaks Volumes project takes this initiative to a European level: on October 17, 2026, simultaneous silent reading will take place in four cities. At 16:00 the sessions will start simultaneously in Chemnitz, Leipzig, Gdansk and Prague.

There is also an accompanying program for book lovers: traditional postcards will be sent between countries, and analog photos taken on site will immortalize the readers' experience. A travel book will also go on a tour of the cities, collecting impressions and moments captured during reading meetings.

This is how reading unites Europe: in complete silence, completely by analogy, and yet together around reading together.

Schedule of the meeting:

15:30 — we gather, prepare drinks, snacks, have casual conversations

15:45 — welcome of participants

15:50 — nervously looking for book inspiration, preparing for reading, sharing current readings

16:00 — 17:00 — International Silent Reading Hour — an hour of silent reading

17:00 — we get to know each other better, talk, have snacks

18:00 — end of the official meeting

The event takes place as part of the project: “PROFIkulture/Gdańsk Digital Addiction Prevention Program/funded under the Municipal Program for Prevention and Resolution of Alcohol Problems and Drug Addiction Prevention for the Municipality of the City of Gdańsk”.