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LoginCulture Ministry Announces Curtain Came Down on DIBF Amid Incredible Global Participation
Doha, May 23 (QNA) - The Ministry of Culture announced that the curtain came down on the 35th Doha International Book Fair on Saturday.
The event was running from May 14-23, and had achieved incredible and striking success in terms of the record number of visitors and organization that boosted its standing as one of the preeminent cultural beacons in the region and the Arab world.
This edition hosted over 520 publishing houses from 37 nations broadly distributed to 910 booths in a diverse cultural theater that ranged from Arab and global houses to intellectual and cultural institutions, with "This is Qatar" being the guest of honor in this fair, in a cultural gesture that was intended to project the nation's cultural and civilizational pathway and document its intellectual and knowledge presence.
Director of DIBF, Jassim Ahmed Al Buainain, emphasized that the current iteration had achieved positive indicators in terms of presence, sales, and public interaction.
He pointed out that the fair deepened its standing as the powerful international book fair in terms of purchasing and folks' pivot toward purchasing books.
The preliminary indicators remarkably demonstrated that the sales were more significant than the previous year, Al Buainain underlined, affirming that this manifests the growing cultural awareness along with the public interest in the State of Qatar when it comes to reading.
Al Buainain suggested that Arabic novels and history books topped the list of most salable books, followed by the scientific and legal books, with English language books recording remarkable growth compared to previous iterations.
Those in charge of the fair have been committed to providing integrated facilitations for publishing houses, whether in terms of operational aspects or logistical services, Al Buainain explained.
He asserted that this move helped support stable prices and foster purchase, thereby serving the publication sector and reinforcing the continuation of the book industry.
Overall, the fairgrounds hosted a broad range of cultural and artistic programs that ranged from thoughtful and literary panel discussions to poetry evenings, Al Buainain noted, alongside professional workshops that convened a contingent of writers and intellectuals from Qatar, the Arab world, and foreign nations.
These events, Al Buainain said, helped enrich the cultural landscape and promote intellectual dialogue and share expertise.
Children's booths likewise received broad interest from families and visitors through holding a range of interactive events, as well as educational and recreational workshops that aimed to strengthen the love of reading for children and tether them to national identity and knowledge to be well-versed in innovative and cutting-edge techniques.
To maintain the projection of Qatar's cultural heritage, the Ministry's booth showcased a visual and cultural experience inspired by the "Qatari House" and the traditional fareej (old neighborhood), reflecting time-honored local heritage with a contemporary spirit.
It likewise showcased the intellectual production of Qatari creatives and offered interactive experiences that combined culture and technology.
On the educational level, morning visits by schools and educational institutions featured strong attendance, in coordination between the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE), where students were given the opportunity to engage in cultural activities and interactive workshops, strengthening their connection to live educational and cultural experiences.
Strikingly, this iteration had been capable of drawing a broad range of folks from various nationalities, alongside age groups residing in Qatar, along with the incredible presence of visitors and those interested in culture since the early morning hours of the inauguration until the closing days.
This record turnout demonstrated the success of the cultural and artistic program in meeting the interests of multiple segments of society.
As the events wrapped up, the DIBF continued to deepen its presence, projecting itself as a cultural and knowledge platform that goes beyond the concept of a traditional book market to a space for conversation, innovation, and civilizational exchange.
This posture significantly confirms the State of Qatar's position as an active crossroads in supporting Arab and global culture, as well as bolstering people-to-people connections. (QNA)
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