Beginning of the 42nd Sharjah International Book Fair

Under the slogan "We Speak Books," the 42nd Sharjah International Book Fair officially opened today, Wednesday, with the participation of 1,043 Arab publishing houses and 990 foreign publishing houses from 108 countries. Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, CEO of the Sharjah Book Authority, stated at the opening: "The Sharjah International Book Fair has transitioned from being present in the scene to becoming a creator and leader with a clear vision that we pursue, alongside all those involved in the book industry, towards a better future for both Arab and global culture." He added, "We do not want to say that we are the largest, most prominent or the first, because for the third consecutive year we have reached this status; rather, we will announce that Sharjah in this edition of the fair hosts more than half of the countries in the world." The fair, organized by the Sharjah Book Authority, presents more than one and a half million books and will run until November 12 at the Sharjah Expo Center. South Korea is the guest of honor at this year's fair, with a delegation of over 80 writers and literary figures, along with a cultural and entertainment program, including several musical performances.