Sharjah: Exhibition space for publishers at the 36th edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) has already sold out, the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) revealed on Monday.
Organisers of the book fair to be held at the Expo Centre Sharjah from November 1 to 11, said that an exhibition area of 14,625 square metres — out of the fair’s total space of 25,000 square metres — has been designated for publishers.
SBA said applications from local, Arab and foreign publishers for “the world’s third largest book fair” exceeded 53 per cent of the designated area.
The book fair attracted 4.8 million visitors over its most recent five editions.
Ahmad Al Ameri, chairman of SBA, said: “As the most prominent cultural event in the region, SIBF is a significant contributor to intercultural interaction and one that extends bridges of communication between different people from around the world. The prestigious stature attained by SIBF would not have been possible without the generous patronage and direct personal attention given by His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.
Salim Omar Salim, director of marketing and sales at SIBF, said: “SIBF 2017 has received numerous applications from publishing houses in countries that have not participated in previous editions, which will further enrich the fair’s cosmopolitan literary atmosphere. The designated exhibition space for publishers was fully reserved during the first weeks of the registration opening.”
In addition to publishing houses, SIBF 2017 will see the participation of government and semi-government organisations, rights agents, cultural institutions, public libraries, research centres, educational establishments, university libraries and local and international media. Producers of educational aids, including maps, audios and videos, as well as national book fairs and other institutions involved in the global book industry, will also be taking part at the 11-day event.
