Muscat book fair to spotlight Palestine crisis
The 28th edition of Muscat International Book Fair will open on February 21 showcasing a collection of over 600,000 titles from 34 countries at Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre.
At a press conference on Wednesday, H E Sayyid Saeed bin Sultan al Busaidi, Undersecretary for Culture in the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, informed that the inaugural ceremony will be held under the patronage of H E Dr Mohammed bin Saeed al Mamari, Minister of Endowments and Religious Affairs.
This year, Dhahirah will be the guest of honour of the fair and feature a dedicated pavilion highlighting the governorate’s intellectual and cultural heritage. A comprehensive agenda of programmes, activities and cultural events is planned for the duration of the fair ending on March 2.
The fair will also serve as a platform for cultural discussions and activities featuring prominent intellectuals and media personalities, H E Sayyid Saeed informed.
According to Ahmed bin Saud al Rawahi, Director of the book fair, a total of 847 publishing houses from 34 countries are participating - 676 directly and 171 through agencies.
The fair will feature 622,000 titles, including approximately 269,000 Arabic books, 200,000 foreign books, and 19,000 Omani publications. Notably, the collection will include 35,989 new releases printed between 2023 and 2024.
A special area has been designated for children and family-oriented activities, including a theatre for events and workshops, a language corner and a children's museum corner. The book fair will have several pavilions with cultural cafés.
Rawahi also informed that the fair will put the spotlight on Palestine, addressing different aspects of the crisis, while this year's theme is artificial intelligence, with numerous events and activities exploring this technology.
At the press conference, H E Mohammed bin Saeed al Balushi, Undersecretary of Ministry of Information, outlined the comprehensive media coverage planned for the fair. Daily updates on events and activities will be provided across different media platforms, alongside live coverage of cultural events during the fair, ensuring wide dissemination of the cultural events and discussions taking place.
A total of 847 publishing houses from 34 countries will participate showcasing a collection of over 600,000 titles in the 28th edition of Muscat International Book Fair starting on February 21