Abu Dhabi book exhibition opens with 500,000 titles

Abu Dhabi: Enthusiastic visitors of all ages and backgrounds began browsing through 500,000 titles as the 22nd International Book Fair opened its doors in the capital yesterday.

"I'm an avid collector of books about the UAE… each book has slightly different information so I'm always on the lookout for something to add to my archives," said Mohammad Al Mansouri, a 45-year-old Emirati based in Abu Dhabi.

The consultant civil engineer added: "People are interested in reading, but not necessarily in the traditional way — through books. But I encountered many who read e-books or browse websites and social media platforms."

Organised by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Tourism and Culture under the patronage of General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, the fair ends on Monday. It was inaugurated by Shaikh Sultan Bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board at Abu Dhabi Authority for Tourism and Culture, and Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research.

Checking out books

"I read about the book fair in a magazine and thought it would be a nice place to check out, since I love to read different types of books in both English and Arabic," said Aisha Bourguilba, a Tunisian expatriate who studies in grade six. She was visiting the fair with her mother and brothers.

The fair is spread over 21,741 square metres at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec) with 904 participants from 54 countries present at this year's event.

"This is the second year we are participating in the fair… this year, we are representing six publishers of whom five will donate around 350 books to the King Sejong Institute at the Zayed University to add to a scarce collection of Korean books in the UAE," said Kim Eun-hee, of the Korean Publishers Association.

The Paju Book City, a complex that combines the various sectors in South Korea's publishing industry, won the 2012 Shaikh Zayed Book Award for Best Technology in the Field of Culture.

More than 200 events are being held at the fair, including workshops, meetings and discussions with authors, children's activities and networking sessions.