Baku: The Baku International Book Fair kicked off yesterday in Azerbaijan, with Qatar serving as the guest of honour. The event will run until October 7, 2025.
Qatar’s participation in this fair, represented by the Ministry of Culture (MoC), reflects its commitment to showcasing the nation’s cultural presence, as well as its local intellectual and literary output to a diverse global audience.
This effort also aligns with Qatar’s active role in supporting both the Arab and global cultural scene, reinforcing collaboration with cultural institutions and publishing houses, presenting a comprehensive portrait of Qatar as a cradle of creativity and a hub of cultural and civilizational diversity, and highlighting the MoC’s focus on enhancing cultural exchange and opening pathways to global experiences, thereby building bridges of communication among innovators, publishers, and those engaged in cultural affairs.
A Qatari cultural troupe at Baku International Book Fair.
The ministry participates with a pavilion that wields the features of Qatari conventional architecture, offering visitors a prolific and integrated cultural experience.
The first day featured a record turnout, with visitors pouring into the pavilion from a variety of nationalities around the globe to catch a glimpse of Qatari culture, review the MoC’s releases, and watch Qatari handicrafts practiced live before them.
In addition, on the sidelines of this event, the ministry will engage in a broad range of intellectual symposiums and lectures, alongside musical performances and poetry evenings, in addition to showcasing Qatar in a phenomenal manner through a photographic exhibition that immerses visitors in a visual journey through the heart of Doha.
Director of the Libraries Department at the Ministry of Culture and Director of the Doha International Book Fair, Jassim Ahmed Al Buainain, said this participation manifests the State of Qatar’s commitment to promoting its presence in global cultural forums and casting a spotlight on the knowledge and innovative production that Qatar’s stage abounds with in the domains of literature, poetry, thought, and the arts.
Through this presence at the event, the MoC intends to showcase a holistic image of Qatari culture, with the participation of traditional folk music ensembles, as well as live demonstrations of heritage crafts, alongside explorations of the aesthetics of Arabic calligraphy. It also includes a cultural symposium and a dedicated children’s pavilion fostering a passion for reading among young attendees, Al Buainain added.
