The Christian Trade Association International (CTAI) held its first Marketsquare Europe trade show in Amsterdam, Netherlands, last week.

The Christian trade symposium, which saw 181 participants from 27 countries, included nine hours of workshops for Christian retailers and six for publishers, focusing on expanding the European market for Christian products.

A highlight of the convention was the International Exchange, where reports were provided by representatives from 15 countries across Europe on the status of the industry.

“We prayed for each other-normally in the national language-and encouraged each other in God's calling on our lives,” said Els de Jong of BCB in the Netherlands. “It was a wonderful opportunity to hear what God is doing to grow His Kingdom in Europe.”

Peter van der Schelde, director of Importantia Publishing in the Netherlands, said: “Europe is like one house with many rooms. But there are no doors between the rooms. Marketsquare Europe has been used by God to open those doors of communications for the first time.”

Bruce Ryskamp, former president of Zondervan, presented the keynote address titled “Building Blocks for Success in Christian Publishing.” That message was “worth the trip all by itself,” claimed Svein Andersen of Hermon Forlag, Norway.

“We are coming back next year with our entire European team,” said Gary Chamberlin of CLC Europe.

Marketsquare Europe 2007 is scheduled for March 7 to 9, 2007, at the same location in Amsterdam.

“We will be working very hard between now and then to improve on this model and to make the convention even more valuable to participants,” said Jim Powell, president of CTAI. “Our goal is nothing less than a growing impact by Christian resources in Europe. We were extremely encouraged by this strong beginning.”

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