Sharjah: The exhibition area for publishers for the 35th edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), taking place from November 2 to 12, has been sold out two months before the opening, organisers said.
SIBF, said to be the world’s third biggest book fair, will be held in five halls of the Expo Centre Sharjah.
Due to overwhelming demand, registration for SIBF 2016 opened in October 2015 before the start of the previous edition — the first time this has been done since the fair’s inception in 1982.
“After 35 years of dedication and hard work that is in line with the directives and vision of His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, SIBF has succeeded in highlighting the role of books and promoting understanding and dialogue between individuals. This has helped to create a more stable and secure world where the values of peace and respect for others prevail,” said Ahmad Al Ameri, chairman, Sharjah Book Authority (SBA).
He added that the total exhibition area designated for publishers at SIBF 2016 will cover 25,000 square metres.
“We received applications from local, Arab and foreign publishers for the 35th edition of SIBF that exceeded double the designated area. We are truly delighted with the overwhelming demand for participation at this year’s SIBF, which will be exceptional in every sense of the word. We started preparing for SIBF 2016 before the launch of the previous edition as this year is particularly significant for we will be celebrating its 35th anniversary.”
Salim Omar Salim, director of Sales and Marketing, SBA, added: “Preparations for SIBF 2016 started before the 2015 edition when the work team embarked on laying down the event programme for 2016. Their immediate priorities centred on selecting prominent figures to invite and developing the designs of stands. We are now putting the final touches on the marketing and advertising campaign for SIBF 2016, with the theme for this year in keeping with the 35th anniversary of the SIBF launch.”
SIBF will open daily from early morning until late at night during its 11-day run, bringing together authors, publishers, readers, literary stakeholders, celebrities and cultural ambassadors all under one roof.
