Biggest Sharjah book fair to offer 80,000 new titles

Sharjah: Visitors can buy from 80,000 new books, out of 1.6 million titles, at the 37th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), which begins on October 31, officials announced on Monday.

SIBF, which organisers say is the world’s third largest book fair, will run from October 31 to November 10 at Expo Centre Sharjah.

The 11-day free-to-enter fair is open to all members of the public. Details of SIBF 2018 were announced by Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), which organises the fair, during a press conference on Monday.

SIBF 2018, held under the theme ‘Tale of Letters’, will be the biggest edition so far in terms of the number of publishers (1,847 publishers from 77 countries) and the volume of books (1.6 million titles).

Last year, 2.38 million people visited SIBF, according to SBA. The previous 36th edition also recorded Dh206 million in books sales.

This year’s guests include UK writers James E. Montgomery, Bruce Parry and Emma Gannon. American authors include Dr Leonard Mlodinow, James W. Parkinson and A.J. Finn.

There are going to be surprise announcements regarding more names on the guest list, SBA chairman Ahmad Al Ameri told Gulf News.

Popular guests from India include Bollywood star Soha Ali Khan, Prakash Raj and Karan Thapar, among others.

Guest of honour

Visitors will also get a chance to explore Japanese literature and culture at SIBF 2018 as Japan is this year’s ‘SIBF Guest of Honour’. Japanese books, authors, food and activities will be featured at the Japanese pavilion.

Speaking at the press conference, Dr Akima Umezawa, Japan’s consul general in Dubai, expressed his “heartfelt gratitude” for the “great honour” of Japan as the guest of honour at SIBF 2018.

He added that visitors will be able to “enjoy Japanese culture [at SIBF] as if you were visiting Japan”.

SBA has repeatedly pointed out over the years that SIBF is not just a book fair, saying it is a bridge for cultural exchange and understanding between all people.

On Monday, Dr Umezawa said that His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah and Member of the Supreme Council, has previously noted that “multiculturalism is the solid foundation for a successful future”. Dr Umezawa said Japan has a rich culture and he felt proud that his country will be participating at SIBF in Sharjah, which he described as “a culture-rich city”.

He also said the “biggest book store in the UAE” is the Japanese store Kinokuniya.

‘Cultural lighthouse’

Speaking at the conference, Al Ameri said Sharjah and the annual fair can be described as “a lighthouse in the worlds of languages and cultures”. He added that the success of the fair is based on the vision of Dr Shaikh Sultan to promote multiculturalism and dialogue between all people.

In its 36-year history, Al Ameri said, SIBF has become “a cultural march”, started in 1982 by Dr Shaikh Sultan. Al Ameri added that books and literature are the building blocks of society and carry the message of intercultural tolerance from Sharjah to the world.