Doha International Book Fair a literature festival this year

DOHA: The Doha International Book Fair is set to be held as a literature festival this year and will bring more books and publishers, the Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage, H E Dr Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al Kuwari said yesterday. 
The fair will feature 22,000 books and 360 publishers from 29 Arab and non-Arab countries.
“The fair will be held as a cultural event with many activities. A large number of writers, poets, artists and actors will take part,” Al Kuwari told a press conference at the ministry. 
“This year poetry reading and child literature will be given more importance,” he added. 
The UK has been invited as the Guest of Honour at the 24th Doha International Book Fair, as part of Qatar UK 2013 Year of Culture, 
The fair will be held between December 4 and 14 at Doha International Exhibition Centre. 
The ministry, Publishers Association, UK Trade and Investment and British Council are supporting four UK editors to travel to Qatar as part of a delegation to meet members of the Arab publishing and literary scene to further their understanding of the market and build relationships. 
“Qatar UK 2013 Year of Culture has been a wonderful opportunity. This fair is an opportunity for us to share our literature,” said Martin Hope, Director, British Council. 
The UK delegation will be represented by Sophie Buchan, Commissioning Editor, Orion Books, Lynn Gaspard, Publisher, Saqi Books, Emma House, Director of Publisher Relations, UK Publishers Association, Judy Pearsall, Editorial Director, Oxford University Press, Rona Selby, Editorial Director, Andersen Press (Random House imprint), Kelly Signorelli-Chaplin, Head of Communications, UK Publishers Association, and Roger Tagholm, journalist for the publishing industry. 
“The British Council and Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Publishing, in partnership with the British Centre for Literary Translation will host the Literary Translation Summit, bringing together 36 writers and translators for an intensive week workshops and panel discussions,” said Hope. 
Two workshops will translate from English to Arabic, and one from Arabic to English. 
The summit will include a panel discussion on life as a literary translator and resources for translation, including national translation organisations and support bodies in the UK and Arab world. 
Marilyn Booth will lead the Arabic to English workshop, with Hassan Daoud as author.
Zeinab Mobarak will lead the first English to Arabic workshop, with Steven Hall as author. Nariman Youssef will lead the second English to Arabic workshop, with David Szalay as author. The British Council will hold ‘Learn English Kids’ and ‘Maktaba Storytelling Time’ in English and Arabic for children throughout the fair.
The Peninsula