Al-Mutairi highlights Kuwait’s cultural leadership at 48th Int’l Book Fair
. . . featuring 33 participating countries, 433 pavilions, 611 participants, and over 287,000 titles — a 35% increase from last year
Minister of Information and Culture, Minister of State for Youth Affairs, and Chairman of the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL), Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi, affirmed that Kuwait now bears a significant responsibility to expand its cultural and media horizons and to strengthen partnership among national institutions in order to showcase the country’s vibrant cultural identity to the world.
In a press statement issued on Wednesday during his tour of the 48th Kuwait International Book Fair, held under the patronage of His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmed Al-Abdullah, Al-Mutairi said he was honored to represent His Highness at the opening of the fair, one of Kuwait’s most prominent cultural events and among the region’s key international book exhibitions.
Al-Mutairi highlighted the impressive scale of this year’s edition, which features 33 participating countries, 433 pavilions, 611 participants, and over 287,000 titles — a 35% increase from last year.
This growth, he noted, reflects the strong commitment of intellectuals, writers, and publishers to advancing culture, knowledge, and public dialogue. He added that events of this diversity and influence play a crucial role in highlighting Kuwait’s cultural stature and have generated widespread positive media coverage.
The minister emphasized the depth of cultural ties between Kuwait and the Sultanate of Oman, the fair’s guest of honor, noting that both nations enjoy robust and fruitful cultural cooperation.
He stressed that the current era requires enhanced Gulf and Arab cultural integration to present a unified cultural identity to the world.
Al-Mutairi announced that the fair has chosen Mohammed bin Al-Zubair, retired Advisor to the Sultan of Oman for Economic Planning, as the cultural personality of the year. Bin Al-Zubair, he said, is a distinguished Omani intellectual whose long-standing contributions and leadership in establishing major cultural institutions have enriched Arab culture and helped expand access to knowledge across the region.
The minister also noted the Ministry of Information’s efforts to diversify accompanying cultural activities, such as the Cultural Pavilion, Cultural Café, and Children’s Pavilion, which provide valuable platforms for dialogue among writers, publishers, and cultural thinkers on issues related to books, creativity, and knowledge.
Al-Mutairi underscored the crucial role of the media in conveying the fair’s cultural message to the Arab and international arenas, calling for continued support of cultural spaces from all state entities. He praised the strong cooperation between the public and private sectors, civil society organizations, and the significant engagement of Arab and international publishing houses.
He pointed out that this year’s fair coincides with Kuwait’s celebrations of being named the Capital of Arab Culture and Media for 2025. Kuwait, he said, has already hosted numerous cultural activities and welcomed wide participation from various countries—momentum that reflects Kuwait’s enduring position as a cultural beacon and a key center for Arab media.
Al-Mutairi also stressed the importance of empowering youth, noting that they represent the largest and most dynamic segment of society, and possess the creativity and energy needed to support cultural development and keep pace with global transformations. He reaffirmed the state’s confidence in young people and its commitment to giving them opportunities to lead, innovate, and participate in cultural life.
During his opening tour, the minister visited several pavilions showcasing new works in literature, science, economics, politics, and other fields. He also visited the guest-of-honor pavilion of Oman, along with other Arab and international pavilions.
Pavilion representatives praised the high level of organization at this year’s event, noting that the Kuwait International Book Fair has established itself as a leading regional and international cultural gathering distinguished by its strong publishing presence and continuous development.
