1.5 million books under one roof
UNITED KINGDOM TO BE GUEST OF HONOUR AT SHARJAH INTERNATIONAL BOOK FAIR WHICH BEGINS TODAY; DEDICATED ZONE FOR E-PUBLISHERS
Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), said to be the world’s third largest book fair, opens today, featuring famous authors, celebs and 1.5 million books.
Running until November 11 at Expo Centre Sharjah, the fair will host 1,650 publishers from 60 countries, cultural discussions, social media influencers and much more. The fair is being held under the patronage of His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah.
Entry is free of charge and open to all members of the public. This year’s theme is ‘A World in My Book,’ reflecting the variety of genres such as fiction, science, poetry, philosophy, history, technology and biographies.
A dedicated programme to highlight the achievements of English literature and to strengthen cultural ties between the UAE and the UK will be a mainstay of the fair.
The UK is the Guest of Honour this year and will see participation from leading UK authors and media personalities such as Mark Billingham, creator of London-based detective Tom Thorne; Mark Ellis, author of the DCI Frank Merlin series; and Nicola Cornick, bestselling historical romance writer.
Also, an impressive lineup of world-famous chefs will be participating in this year’s Cookery Corner programme. These culinary masters will include Michelin-star chefs and Guinness World Record holders from India, Canada, the UK, Egypt, Jordan and Morocco.
Another highlight will be book-signings for fans, bookworms and culture enthusiasts at the Book Signing Corner, which will host over 200 events by renowned local, regional and international authors.
A number of VIP attendants from the Indian subcontinent will also be coming to hold a series of meet-ups and interactions with fair visitors. Wasim Akram, regarded as one of the greatest bowlers of all time and a former captain of Pakistan’s international cricket team, will be visiting his fans from across the UAE for the first time.
Meanwhile, a dedicated zone for publishers and distributors of e-books and audio books will also form part of the fair. The Future Zone has been introduced this year in response to the huge number of online book sales. Hall 1 at SIBF will be dedicated for online and audio book publishers.
SIBF 2017 is also set to attract young visitors with a rich programme of live performances, entertainment acts, acrobatic shows, cultural events and a series of workshops in art, literature and writing.
The Kids Programme feature more than 40 artists and performers from over 20 countries.
Moreover, experts from major technology companies will be participating at the Social Media Station, with senior officials from LinkedIn, Dubizzle and Kaspersky Lab speaking about their sites.