Kingdom’s impressive lineup for Abu Dhabi book fair

Saudi Arabia will be joining 50 other countries from around the world in the 23rd Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF), kicking off tomorrow.
The six-day fair will be held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, crown prince of Abu Dhabi, and deputy supreme commander of the Armed Forces in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi).
Saleh Hamad Al-Suhaibani, the Saudi cultural attaché to the UAE, said the Kingdom’s participation in the fair reflects the successful cooperation between the Kingdom and the Society for the Protection of the Arabic language in the UAE.
“The exhibition will showcase over 500,000 titles with a wide variety of topics and themes, including cultural, intellectual and business books in over 30 languages, demonstrating the remarkable richness and diversity of the fair’s content. Our participation in the event will also highlight the Kingdom’s civilization and cultural heritage,” Al-Suhaibani said.
He expressed his appreciation for Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ continuous support as well as the efforts of Khalid Al-Anqari, Minister of Higher Education, and his deputy Ahmed Al-Saif and the Embassy in Abu Dhabi in helping to arrange the Saudi pavilion at the exhibition.
He explained that the Saudi pavilion will display a special section on Saudi publishers, a collection of children’s books, in addition to historical and socio-cultural books. The booth will also feature interactive sessions, in which intellectuals will discuss various issues and a corner designated for children, encouraging them to read in Arabic.
“There will be a special section to encourage young people to read, with the aim of fostering a greater attachment among the youth to the Arabic language. We will also highlight the Kingdom’s culture and heritage to provide visitors with a better understanding of our country,” he added.
He stressed upon government agencies to participate in the exhibition, including the general administration of international cooperation and financial management at the Ministry of Higher Education.
On the sidelines of the fair, musical acts will be performed from different international artists, representing their nation’s respective culture and traditions.
Mubarak Al-Muhairi, director general of the Abu Dhabi TCA, said in a statement, “The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair is recognized as the region’s most professional book fair and one of the world’s fastest-growing publishing events. We have enhanced the fair’s cultural and professional programs this year to include new panel discussions and different cultural elements from GCC countries. This will further enrich the experience of thousands of visitors expected to attend the event.”
This year’s exhibition will be the largest international book fair with a 15 percent increase in exhibition space and a 13 percent rise in exhibitors.
Almost 1,020 publishing houses from Arab and foreign countries, representing more than 50 international countries are set to participate.
The fair will also highlight the importance of electronic publishing and e-books that have grown in prominence and popularity.