44th Sharjah International Book Fair Attracts 1.4 Million Visitors From 206 Countries

The 44th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) concluded with a 12-day programme that drew 1,400,730 visitors from 206 countries, reinforcing Sharjah’s status as a major global hub for culture, books, and industry exchange. Under the theme “Between You and a Book,” the fair delivered one of its most internationally diverse editions, with 2,350 publishers and exhibitors from 118 countries.

Sharjah maintained its position as the world’s largest marketplace for buying and selling publishing rights, a distinction it has held for five consecutive years.

Attendance patterns reflected broad demographic appeal. Visitors aged 35–44 formed the largest segment at 29%, followed by those aged 25–34 at 28%, while more than 125,890 school students took part in dedicated educational, literary and cultural activities.

Leadership vision anchors cultural and humanitarian impact

As part of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah’s commitment to strengthening public access to knowledge, an AED 4.5 million grant was allocated to replenish public and government library collections with new works showcased at the fair.

His Highness’s directives were advanced under the supervision of Her Highness Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), through a dedicated initiative to waive participation fees for Sudanese publishers. The announcement supported publishers facing economic and humanitarian pressures while ensuring Sudanese writers and cultural producers remained visible and engaged within the regional and global publishing landscape.

SIBF emphasises Sharjah’s ‘reader-first’ approach

Commenting on the edition, His Excellency Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, CEO of SBA, said,“The 44th edition of Sharjah International Book Fair focused on the reader as the foundation of knowledge. With the theme ‘Between You and a Book’, it offered a personal reading experience where each visitor found a space that spoke to them and sparked their curiosity.”

A dynamic programme of ideas, performance, and creativity

Egyptian writer and playwright Mohamed Salmawy was honoured as SIBF’s Cultural Personality of the Year, recognising over five decades of literary, journalistic, and cultural impact.

Greece participated as Guest of Honour, delivering a programme that highlighted its contributions to global civilisation. Its 200-square-metre pavilion, designed in the spirit of classical Greek architecture, hosted 58 publishers and cultural institutions and showcased 600 works in Greek and translated editions.

Throughout its 12-day run, SIBF offered 1,200 cultural, artistic, and intellectual events and 750 workshops featuring 28 guests from 9 countries. The Cookery Corner brought together 14 chefs for 35 live demonstrations, while the Poetry Café hosted multilingual evenings in Arabic, Greek, English, Russian, Urdu, Punjabi, Malayalam, and Tagalog. Furthermore, over 1,000 new titles were launched across the fair’s exhibition spaces, contributing to a strong market presence.

Interactive programming remained a cornerstone of the fair’s appeal. The 360° Science Lab, led by Abdullah Annan, introduced chemistry through immersive stage demonstrations. The fantasy play Hide and Seek attracted family audiences, and composer Mohammed Alquhum performed a live music evening to a full house.

New additions included the Pop-Up Academy, offering 24 sessions by regional experts, the UK’s Poetry Pharmacy, and a Podcast Station showcasing notable regional shows such as Asmar, Karakpodcast, Kirsi Al Ithnayn, and Takhayyal.

International voices enriched this year’s programme, including global star Will Smith, Dr. Sultan Al Ameemi, Dr. Zahi Hawass, Taleb Al Refai, Dr. Wasim Al Sisi, Mo Gawdat, Khaled El Sawy, Dhafer L’Abidine, Carlo Rovelli, and Paul Lynch.