Kuwait International Book Fair to open next Wednesday, featuring 31 nations

• The Kuwait International Book Fair is one of the world’s most distinctive cultural events and this year, it is hosting a cultural celebration with the participation 19 Arab nations and 12 foreign countries, as well as 544 publishing houses.

Aisha Al Mahmoud, Assistant Secretary General of the Culture Sector at the National Council for Culture, Arts, and Letters, announced on Sunday that the 47th Kuwait International Book Fair will open next Wednesday under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, the Prime Minister. The event will feature 544 publishing houses from 31 Arab and foreign countries, according to Q8-Press.

Al-Mahmoud stated at a press conference that the 47th edition of the exhibition, themed “The World in a Book,” highlights the importance of books and their role in presenting culture to society.

‘Cultural Gallery’

She added that the exhibition’s accompanying cultural activities will feature three different platforms. The first is the “Cultural Gallery,” introduced last year with a youthful character, which the National Council presents with various activities reflecting society’s diverse cultural visions in cinema, drama, and poetry.

Al-Mahmoud noted that the second platform is the “Cultural Cafe,” located in the VIP Hall. This platform offers activities in collaboration with public institutions, civil organizations, and relevant government agencies during both morning and evening sessions. One of the main activities will be honoring this year’s distinguished personality of the exhibition, Dr. Abdullah Al-Ghanim.

The ‘Writer and Writer’ corner

She also highlighted the third new platform, the “Writer and Writer” corner, designed to connect readers directly with books. It will host evenings featuring several novelists.

Children’s Culture Pavilion

Al-Mahmoud stated that the Children’s Culture Pavilion will offer various activities during both the morning and evening sessions, adding that the total number of cultural activities accompanying the exhibition exceeds 90. These activities include celebrations honoring Kuwaiti and Arab cultural icons.

She noted that the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan was chosen as the guest of honor for this edition, and it will present four main lectures at the “Culture Porricade.” These lectures include one on the bilateral relations between Jordan and Kuwait, one on the artistic scene in Jordan, one on Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa with a focus on Hashemite care, and one on creative industries.

For his part, the exhibition director, Khalifa Al-Rabah, remarked that the Kuwait International Book Fair is one of the world’s most distinctive cultural events. This year, it is hosting a cultural celebration with the participation of 31 countries, including 19 Arab nations and 12 foreign countries, as well as 544 publishing houses—400 directly and 160 through agents.

He added that three halls have been allocated for the exhibition: Halls 5, 6, and 7. Hall 5 houses 153 pavilions for Arab country participants, Hall 6 includes 149 pavilions for Gulf countries, Kuwaiti, Iraqi, and foreign publishing houses, while Hall 7 has 46 pavilions for government entities, public benefit associations, regional organizations, embassies, and the pavilion of the guest of honor, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

Al-Rabah also pointed out that the exhibition’s foyer will feature a children’s book section with 50 pavilions. He emphasized that the selection of publishing houses was based on a thorough review of participation requests and clear, precise criteria.

He explained that the number of books registered in the exhibition’s automated inquiry system has reached 243,000 titles, including 14,630 new titles. Of these, 47,367 are children’s titles, with 1,929 new additions.

Regarding the services provided to the public, Al-Rabahstated that the exhibition management is offering a 25% discount on any book at the event. Additionally, automatic inquiry centers and interactive screens have been set up for the public. Visitors can also search for books via the exhibition’s website or by scanning the QR code located at the pavilions of participating publishing houses.

He pointed out that one of the new services introduced this year is the “Author Platform,” which provides information on how to publish a book in Kuwait and navigate the legal procedures to protect copyright and ownership. This platform is divided into three sections, focusing on the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters, the Ministry of Information, and the Kuwait National Library.

Al-Rabah also mentioned that the exhibition is offering a “Professional Program” over two days, featuring discussion panels for Arab publishers. These panels will focus on the publishing industry, its art, and the future of Arab publishing, equipping publishers with the tools needed to advance the industry.

Regarding the exhibition’s Personality of the Year, Al-Rabah said that Dr. Abdullah Al-Ghanim was chosen for his significant contributions to Kuwaiti culture and history. He was awarded a special medal by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan for his role in enriching the Dictionary of the Holy Quran in collaboration with the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences.