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'It starts with a book,' the theme reads. Indeed, if books had lives, they would have their own tales to tell.
And these stories will come alive when yet another edition of the UAE's popular book fair — the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) — turns the page from Wednesday, November 6.
The 43rd iteration will welcome over 2,520 publishers from 112 countries with an array of activities lined-up until the final day on Sunday, November 17, at Expo Centre Sharjah.
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Organised by the Sharjah Book Authority under the theme ‘It Starts with a Book, the 12-day cultural extravaganza will welcome prominent Emirati authors and intellectuals, including Dr. Sultan Al Ameemi, Dr. Saeed Al Dhaheri, and writer Eman Al Yousuf. Other notable figures include Egyptian actor Ahmed Ezz, author Ahmed Mourad, and poet Hisham El Gakh. Internationally, celebrated participants include Bulgarian poet Georgi Gospodinov, Canadian physicist Lawrence M. Krauss, Pakistani novelist Amna Mufti, British historian Peter Frankopan, and Indian actress Huma Qureshi.
SIBF 2024 will welcome Stephen Bartlett from the United Kingdom, a renowned entrepreneur, investor, bestselling author, and the host of Europe’s most popular podcast, The Diary of a CEO. Bartlett’s investments span several sectors, including health, Web3, biotechnology, and blockchain. He is also the youngest panellist on the BBC’s Dragons’ Den and has been featured in the Powerlist of influential British figures.
The 43rd edition will host an evening of music and conversation with the celebrated Egyptian composer Omar Khairat on Saturday, November 9 at 8pm. Khairat, accompanied by his orchestra, will perform a selection of his renowned compositions that have left an indelible mark on Arabic cinema and television. On November 8 at 7 p.m., he will join esteemed Egyptian media personality Mona El Shazly in a dialogue exploring his illustrious career spanning over 65 years.
For the grand finale on November 17 at 7:30 p.m., Kuwaiti artist Humood Alkhudher will delight the SIBF with his uplifting music. His music has inspired millions across the world and represents a new era of purposeful media.
This year, SIBF will present a comprehensive programme of 600 workshops for various age groups, including 465 sessions for adults and children and 135 for early childhood, covering heritage, media, entrepreneurship, technology, environment, arts, life skills, and creative writing. Notably, the fair will feature specialised thriller and suspense writing workshops, requiring prior registration, where participants can engage with distinguished creative writing experts from the Arab world and beyond.
In a special tribute, SIBF will celebrate Algerian author and novelist Ahlam Mosteghanemi as the ‘Cultural Personality of the Year’, recognising her significant contributions to Arabic literature. The fair will also honour a distinguished lineup of authors and intellectuals whose works have received prestigious awards on both Arab and global stages.
The 43rd edition will host a diverse gathering of 134 guests from 32 countries, who will lead over 500 cultural events, including discussions, readings, workshops, and inspiring sessions. The line-up includes 49 international guests from 14 countries, 45 Arab guests from 17 countries, and 40 Emirati speakers, offering attendees a wealth of cultural experiences.
The fair will feature 105 live performances, including the cultural play Traino, exploring themes of cultural understanding on November 8 and 9, and Al-Yathum, a horror-comedy examining social issues through a satirical lens, on November 15 and 16.
The popular Thriller Festival will run from November 7-10. It will feature 14 acclaimed writers, including Tess Gerritsen and Isabella Maldonado, alongside Arab authors like Ahmed Mourad and Amir Atef. The festival will also include discussions on character development and adapting novels for film.
The Poetry Nights will unite poets from around the world in a blend of six languages in an immersive experience that fuses poetry with live music on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. This unique event will bring together poets from the UAE and beyond, celebrating diverse languages and literary traditions. The enchanting activities will feature Canada’s Rupi Kaur, Egypt’s Hisham El Gakh, and the Philippines’ Ester Vargas Castillo, along with poets from Pakistan and India, enriching the cultural landscape through this fusion of language and melody.
Visitors can enjoy 47 live cooking sessions led by 17 international chefs from 13 countries, including Vietnamese and Omani chefs making their SIBF debut. The lineup includes Moroccan chef Alia Al Qasimi, British Ruby Bhogal, and Iraqi Lamis Attar Bashi. They will join British-Vietnamese Thuy Diem Pham and South African chef Zola Nene.
The Social Media Station will feature a diverse programme of educational and entertaining activities tailored for children and youth to enhance their digital communication skills and content creation abilities. These activities include creative caption writing, digital ad design, and audio-visual content production.
The station will also offer workshops on a variety of topics, such as writing engaging social media captions and creating stop-motion animations, led by renowned content creators, including Yara Bou Monsef, Ibrahim Almarrawi, the duo Nasser and Leila, Shihab Al Hashmi, offering young attendees an inspiring and practical learning experience in digital content creation.
As the Guest of Honour for the 43rd edition, Morocco will present a rich cultural programme featuring 107 events led by 100 writers, intellectuals, and publishers covering various cultural, artistic, and literary fields, alongside ten cooking sessions. Visitors will have the chance to explore Moroccan heritage through seminars, theatre performances, and panel discussions, with over 4,000 titles from 22 publishers on display.
Morocco has dedicated an 189-square-metre pavilion for its participation, showcasing manuscripts and artefacts. The programme will include discussions with prominent Moroccan figures such as Dr. Ahmed Shawki Binbin and Mohammed Achaari, as well as live musical performances of traditional Aissawa and Gnawa music. Additionally, there will be workshops for children focused on ornamentation and weaving, along with poetry and performance evenings.
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