This year’s event will be the biggest ever, said Jassim Ahmed Al Buainain, director of the Doha International Book Fair. The fair, which opens on May 8, will see the largest number of participants in the fair’s history.
522 publishing companies from 43 countries will participate. There will be 11 publishers from Palestine, which has been selected as this year’s guest of honor. Several ministries, government, private organizations and embassies will also participate.
For the first time, the fair will feature a professional literary exchange program. This program will help Qatar work more closely with authors and publishers around the world, share book rights and support translation projects.
Awards will be presented to the best publishers and authors. The awards will include the best publisher (local and international), best children’s publisher, best creative writer and best young Qatari writer.
The Ministry of Culture announced that the main stage will host a number of lectures and events featuring Arab thinkers and writers. A special area called the Cultural Salon will host book launches and lectures. Workshops on different cultural topics will be held in two other halls. Approximately 166,000 books will be included in the fair’s guide.
For the first time, the Halabuni Book Market from Syria will join the fair, bringing rare books. Some UK publishers will also be there. Entertainment and educational activities, including books from children’s publishers, will be held in a special children’s area and theater.
Visitors will be able to access a number of services, including a reading guide, help desk, porters, and free parking. Al Buainain invited everyone to meet writers, publishers, and poets from Qatar and around the world and participate in a wide range of activities.
The fair will be open from 9 am to 10 pm daily and from 3 pm to 10 pm on Fridays.
The Doha International Book Fair is one of the oldest and largest book fairs in the region. It began in 1972 and became an annual event in 2002. It now attracts over 500 publishers from 40+ countries. Since 2010, each fair has had a guest country – this year it is Palestine.
