Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan among key figures at 45th Sharjah International Book Fair

Sharjah: Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan will be among the prominent figures at the 45^th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) 2026, according to the organisers.

Indian expats from Kerala form a significant part of the audience at SIBF every year. Satheesan’s participation is expected to draw considerable interest from the UAE’s large Indian expatriate community, particularly Malayalis.

This will be his first visit to the UAE since assuming office. The country is home to an estimated 4.5 million Indian expats, the majority of whom hail from the south Indian state.

However, organisers have yet to announce the date and time of his session.

Running from November 4 to 15 at Expo Centre Sharjah under the theme Made of Stories, the fair will also welcome Indian actress, writer and content creator Shenaz Treasurywala, Nigerian-American author Nnedi Okorafor, British bestselling novelist Clare Mackintosh and Chinese novelist and screenwriter Liu Zhenyun.

Filipino historian and author

Filipino historian and author Ambeth R. Ocampo, renowned for making Philippine history accessible to a wider audience, is likely to draw interest from the UAE’s sizeable Filipino expat community.

Other international participants include American translator and writer Daisy Rockwell, Canadian-American author and journalist John Vaillant.

Details of the international authors' schedules will be announced in the coming days.

Diverse line-up

The diverse line-up brings together political leadership, entertainment and literary talent, reinforcing SIBF’s role as a meeting point for writers, thinkers and readers from around the world, the organisers said.

The 12-day fair will host 2,673 publishers and exhibitors from 124 countries, alongside 106 writers, artists and intellectuals from 25 countries and 1,500 cultural, artistic and creative events.

Oman will be the Guest of Honour at the 45^th SIBF.  The sultanate will bring 50 participants, including 41 writers and poets, to showcase its literary traditions, history, heritage and contemporary cultural identity. Its programme will feature 15 cultural sessions, six children’s workshops and 20 artistic performances, alongside additional artistic presentations and cooking sessions. Daily musical and traditional folk performances will introduce visitors to Omani culture.