Ankara, August 15 (QNA) - The 11th International Istanbul Arabic Book Fair kicked off in Turkiye on Saturday.

Running until Aug. 23, the event is held under the theme "The Story Continues", bringing together over 300 publishing houses from over 30 countries.

Qatar's Ministry of Culture is participating with a phenomenal and rich booth, confirming its commitment to supporting the movement of publication and knowledge, as well as projecting Qatari intellectual production in the areas of literature, poetry, thought and arts, in addition to strengthening the presence of Qatari culture in Arab forums.

Syria is participating as a guest of honor, alongside Algeria, Oman, Morocco, Kuwait and representatives of international civil society organizations, as well as dignitaries hailing from the domains of culture, art and politics.

In his opening remarks, President of the International Association of Arab Book Publishers Mehdi Al Jumaili said the fair isn't only confined to showcasing or selling books but also serves as a platform to debate issues that face the Islamic nation.

Dr. Yasin Aktay, former advisor to the Turkish president, said the theme of this event spans the story of a nation that has been unified, hoping that the fair would help strengthen people-to-people bonds in the Islamic world on a variety of stages.

Secretary General of the International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS), Sheikh Dr. Ali Muhyiddin Al Qaradaghi, called for keeping the issue of the Palestinian people at the forefront and funneling aid to the Gaza Strip through all possible means.

Reading is substantially important in people's lives, Al Qaradaghi underscored, stating that what matters more is to intensify events and contests related to reading, translation and supporting publishing houses.

  The expo is the largest one beyond the Arab world and receives vast approval from Cairo-based Arab publishers. It intends to be the foremost platform that assembles those who operate in publishing and academic culture.

The fair dedicates a space for students, journalists and researchers from various nationalities and those interested in the Arabic language.

As part of the activities, publishers, authors, academics, translators, graphic designers and representatives of the publishing industry are converging in the Copyright and Translation Rights section to discuss new projects, copyright and international cooperation.

Also participating is the TULIA (Turkish Literature in Arabic) project, with the intent of delivering Turkish literature to a broader range of folks around the Arab world and accelerating the translation from Turkish into Arabic.

At the booth dedicated to this project, Turkish writers and translators assemble to familiarize visitors with the book database translated from Turkish into Arabic, along with projecting the accomplished works and activities in this field. (QNA)