Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani inaugurating the 35th edition of the Doha International Book Fair at DECC yesterday.
Doha, Qatar: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani yesterday inaugurated the 35th edition of the Doha International Book Fair at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center, with the event set to continue until May 23.
The exhibition has brought together 520 publishing houses from 37 countries across 910 booths, showcasing a diverse collection of local, regional and international literary and cultural works.
The opening ceremony was attended by a number of Their Excellencies sheikhs, ministers, heads of diplomatic missions, senior officials and invited guests.
During a tour of the exhibition, H E the Prime Minister visited pavilions representing Qatari, Arab and international publishers, in addition to displays featuring the latest books, manuscripts and cultural works presented by the Ministry of Culture and participating institutions.
His Excellency also launched the “This Is Qatar” book project as part of the guest of honour initiative for this year’s edition of the fair.
This year’s exhibition includes more than 1.85 million books covering around 231,000 titles, with 143 new books set to be launched during the event. The programme also features 46 panel discussions, 69 workshops and 46 seminars on the fair’s main stage.
The fair’s cultural programme is hosting writers, intellectuals and academics from Qatar and overseas for discussions on literature, thought and culture, while the cultural salon will feature book signings and dialogue sessions with authors.
Visitors will also benefit from “Reading Guide” sessions designed to help readers select books based on their interests, alongside a dedicated “Doha Children’s Zone” offering interactive activities and live performances for younger audiences.
The Qatari Authors Forum, affiliated with the Ministry of Culture, is organising a series of educational and intellectual events featuring writers, researchers and academics from within Qatar and abroad.
More than 100 new publications by Qatari authors and residents are scheduled to be launched during the fair, in addition to over 25 intellectual seminars, 15 specialised lectures and 12 discussion sessions addressing cultural and social topics.
“I am highly impressed with the vast collection of books at the fair. It is an enormous selection, and book lovers will surely find it difficult to choose with so many titles on display. The organizers have done an outstanding job,” said Abdulkarim Abdullah, a Doha resident, while speaking to The Peninsula on the sidelines of the first day of the fair. The exhibition will welcome visitors daily from 9am to 10pm, while Friday opening hours will run from 3pm until 10pm.
Organisers said special emphasis has been placed on encouraging children and young readers this year, including through the launch of a mobile library bus that visited around 12 schools to promote reading and learning among students.
Established in 1972, the Doha International Book Fair is regarded as one of the oldest and largest literary exhibitions in the region. Initially organised every two years under Qatar’s national library authority, the event became an annual exhibition in 2002.
