UAE: SIBF 2022 opens tomorrow; 2,213 publishers from 95 nations to showcase over 1.5 million titles

The highly anticipated 41st edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair kicks off tomorrow (Wednesday) under the slogan ‘Spread the Word’ and runs until November 13 at Expo Centre Sharjah.

The 12-day cultural extravaganza celebrates the world’s cultures by hosting a galaxy of distinguished authors, intellectuals, publishers, artists and creatives from 95 countries, and fetes Italy as the Guest of Honour of the 2022 edition.

Organised by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), the international book fair enables visitors to meet Booker Prize laureates, international screenwriters, and artists, in addition to exploring countries from around the world through publishers’ pavilions, Cookery Station, and a diverse agenda of activities that comprise musical performances, plays, and theatrical shows.

This year, SIBF 2022 is hosting 2,213 publishers, comprising 1,298 from the Arab region and 915 from around the world. The 41st edition will stage 123 awe-inspiring theatrical performances as well as musicals led by 22 artists and performers from eight countries, including six new programmes and more than 30 activities led by renowned Arab and international chefs.

‘Spread the Word’

Through SIBF 2022 slogan ‘Spread the Word’, the international book fair conveys the message: “Words can build the future and change realities, so befriend and stay close to them”. The 41st edition will showcase 1.5 million titles.

As part of the book fair’s cultural programme this year, SIBF will host 150 distinguished authors, intellectuals and creatives who will lead 1,500 activities and sessions including 200 activities encompassing workshops, talks, and seminars.

For children, SIBF 2022 will organise 623 activities, shows and workshops led by 45 professionals and experts from 14 countries, including ‘Toy Tale’, an exciting musical that explores the impact of children’s addiction to video games.

Meanwhile, comics enthusiasts and lovers will have an opportunity to participate in a whopping 188 activities and workshops covering 16 topics, in addition to four roaming shows. The activities and workshops cover topics as varied as NFTs, character creation, and chibified characters.

Amongst Arab publishers, the UAE tops the list followed by Egypt and Lebanon. On the international level, India, the UK, and Italy take the top positions and will showcase their titles across an 18,000 sq m area alongside Cuba, Costa Rica, Liberia, Philippines, Ireland, Malta, Mali, Jamaica, Iceland and Hungary, who are participating for the first time in SIBF, among others.

Arab and international guests

Prominent literary personalities from the UAE include author and poet Sultan Al Amimi, Chairman of the Emirates Writers Union; poet Khulood Al Mualla; and poet and writer Ibrahim Al Hashemi. They will join their counterparts from the Arab region including Libyan novelist Mohamed Alnaas, winner of the 2022 International Prize for Arabic Fiction (IPAF); Mohamed Al-Ash’ari, poet and former Moroccan Minister of Culture and Communication; poet Hisham Algakh; author Ahmed Mourad; Dr. Ahmed Emara, Egyptian mental health and bioenergy consultant; screenwriter Hani Sarhan from Egypt; Kuwaiti poet Mohammed Jarallah Al-Sahli; and Algerian academic and writer Boumediene Belkebir.

A galaxy of literary stalwarts from around the world will also headline SIBF 2022. Prominent names here include Deepak Chopra, the New York Times bestselling author of Abundance: The Inner Path to Wealth and Metahuman: Unleashing Your Infinite Potential; Lincoln Pierce, cartoonist/writer and bestselling author of the hilarious Big Nate book series; Rupi Kaur, Canadian poet, illustrator, photographer, and author; and Pico Iyer, a British-born essayist and novelist.

Geetanjali Shree, Indian author and short story writer and winner of International Booker Prize 2022; D.J. Palmer, American author of numerous critically acclaimed suspense novels including The New Husband and My Wife is Missing; and Megan Hess, Australian fashion illustrator who has written and illustrated 16 best-selling books, will also be at SIBF this year.

Celebrating the legacy of Mahmoud Darwish

The 41st edition will showcase the iconic works and celebrate the lyrical, haunting and creative legacy of Palestine’s most eminent poet, Mahmoud Darwish, at a dedicated pavilion throughout the 12-day fair.

The pavilion will be managed by the Mahmoud Darwish Foundation, which is participating for the first time at SIBF.

New at SIBF 2022

The 41st edition will debut six new programmes, including a three-day Thriller Festival between November 8-10 to offer writers specialised in suspense and crime genres an opportunity to showcase their works and participate in workshops, discussion panels, and book signing sessions. The event is organised in partnership with ThrillerFest in New York.

The book fair will also organise the Young Emirati Writers Programme, which is a platform that provides support to budding writers to build and advance their skills through discussion sessions, poetry evenings, and more.

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