Sharjah book fair up to the challenge
11- DAY EVENT TO BE HELD VIRTUALLY AND IN- PERSON WITH NO OPENING AND AWARD CEREMONIES
11- day event from November 4 to be held virtually and in- person
This year, the 39th edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair ( SIBF) will be held as usual at the Expo Centre from November 4 to 14 with international writers participating virtually and local authors attending in person.
Despite the pandemic, this edition themed ‘ The World Reads from Sharjah’ will have no dearth of star power. The biggest names virtually attending SIBF include American rapper and social media star Prince Ea; Canadian writer Yann Martel, best known for Life of Pi, and Elisabetta Dami, Italian creator of the Geronimo Stilton children’s book series, it was revealed yesterday at a press conference by the Sharjah Book Authority ( SBA).
There will also be talks by Indian author and politician Shashi Tharoor and novelist Ravinder Singh. The 11- day event will feature 1,024 publishers from 73 countries and 60 Arab and international authors from 19 countries. They will participate in 64 events.
Addressing the media yesterday, At the press conference, SBA chairman Ahmad Al Ameri announced that 80,000 titles will be on offer across an area spanning over 10,000 square metres. The line- up of publishers include 578 Arab and 129 international names, with 202 from Egypt, 186 from the UAE, 39 from UK and 29 from US.
Al Ameri said: “Given Sharjah’s cultural role in the region for the past 50 years, we felt it was important to remind everyone that reading transcends distances, and has the power to lift us over the hurdles we face — even a pandemic. Reading allows us to dream and reinforces our confidence to be creatively persistent.”
What’s different this year?
Launched in 1982, SIBF drew a record 2.52 million visitors last year. However, this year visitors will be limited to 5,000 people per hour andwill have to register online. There will be no opening ceremony, awards or organised student visits.
Thermal scanners and walkthrough sanitisation gates will be installed at all entry and exit points. A five- hour disinfection will be carried out across the fair’s halls and publisher stalls daily. A smart electronic system has been deployed to manage visits, divided into four slots each day in order to limit the number of visitors. Each visitor will be given a coloured bracelet to monitor their entry and exit.
Given Sharjah’s cultural role in the region for the past 50 years, we felt it was important to remind everyone that reading transcends distances, and has the power to lift us over the hurdles we face — even a pandemic.”
Global virtual platform
SBA’s ‘ Sharjah Reads’ global virtual platform was launched at the press conference. It will host cultural events organised by the authority, starting with the 64 activities of SIBF 2020, giving access to attendees from around the world.
Ahmad Al Ameri | Chairman, Sharjah Book Authority