Sharjah: The 35th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), running from November 2 to 12, will feature celebrities such as Star Wars novelist Claudia Gray, Bollywood stars Shilpa Shetty, Arshad Warsi and Shatrughan Sinha, and Egyptian actor Ezzat Al Alaili, among other prominent writers and personalities.
The line-up of some of the leading guest speakers was revealed during a SIBF press conference on Tuesday at Expo Centre Sharjah, the venue for SIBF.
Clockwise from top: Claudia Gray, Eric Van Lustbader, Ezzat Al Alaili, Chetan Bhagat, Shilpa Shetty and Shashi Tharoor are among the celebrities attending the event.
Also attending is American thriller writer Eric Van Lustbader, who writes Jason Bourne novels, Indian “dramedy” writer Chetan Bhagat and Indian politician-author Shashi Tharoor.
This year’s edition will feature 1,420 publishers from 60 countries and over 1.5 million books, including 88,000 new titles. The latest SIBF edition is set to be the biggest since its launch in 1982, covering 25,000 square metres spread over five halls.
Addressing the press conference, Dr Ahmad Al Ameri, chairman of Sharjah Book Authority, which organises SIBF, said the event is expected to attract more than 1.5 million visitors, which would make it the busiest edition so far.
He reiterated that there was no censorship of content at SIBF, which also ensures prices are within market rates. Entry is free to all visitors at the 11-day SIBF.
Also new this year will be the Read for Me initiative where visitors will be able to record their recitation of books so people with special needs and other audiences can listen to them.
Meanwhile, the 2016 SIBF Guest of Honour is Unesco, selected for its contributions to the cultural and heritage fields globally. Prominent guests include Indian child rights activist Kailash Satyarthi, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014.
Al Ameri said the Cultural Personality for this year will be announced soon. Other highlights will also be revealed soon, he said.
He added that the annual event has grown from just six participating publishing houses in 1982 to one of the world’s biggest book fairs today.
“There is no word that reflects the history of SIBF better than the word ‘passion’. The passion of His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, has led us to inaugurate the 35th edition of SIBF. The forthcoming event will celebrate the array of Arab cultural and literary achievements that have made the fair a pre-eminent feature in the story of our nation’s progress,” Al Ameri said.
There will also be more than 1,400 activities under the categories of arts, entertainment, education, culture and creativity. These include the Social Media Station, Cultural Programme, Cultural Cafe, Cookery Corner, and the Kids Programme.
