33rd Abu Dhabi International Book Fair to welcome 1,350 publishers from 90 countries

The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), part of the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), unveiled the activities planned for the 33rd Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF 2024), which will be held from 29th April to 5th May at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) under the slogan “Where the World’s Tales Unfold”.

The Fair will host 1,350 publishers from 90 countries, of which 140 publishers are participating for the first time. It will also feature 375 local exhibitors, including publishers, distributors, and government entities, who will be presenting their latest releases.

ADIBF 2024 offers the public from various segments of the community a range of over 2,000 activities covering various cultural and knowledge fields.

The announcement was made during a press conference held this morning at the Louvre Abu Dhabi and attended by Dr. Ali bin Tamim, Chairman of the ALC; Dr. Ahmed Bahi El Din, Chairman of the Egyptian General Book Authority; and Saeed Hamdan Al Tunaiji, ALC Executive Director and Director of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, along with prominent cultural and intellectual figures, and a gathering of local and international media personnel.

Speaking at the press conference, Bin Tamim said, “This year’s edition of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair is the most beautiful to date; it underlines the great success the event has had in achieving Abu Dhabi’s strategy, as the capital of the United Arab Emirates, to spearhead efforts to advance the presence of the Arabic language in creative and cultural industries, building on the momentum of its International Congress of Arabic Publishing and Creative Industries and its success in becoming the most influential Arab platform in this key sector.”

“Since its establishment by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Founding Father of the UAE, and the unwavering and generous support of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Fair has set the standards and traditions now followed by book fairs cross the Arab world,” bin Tamim added. “This includes selecting countries to be a Guest of Honour, where this year, we are proud to spotlight the Arab Republic of Egypt, as well as our Focus Personality programme and our comprehensive cultural and intellectual agenda featuring debates, professional programmes, popular international podcasts, and more.”

“This, in turn, expands the concept of a book fair, opening up new prospects for cultural and intellectual exchange,” he continued. “The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair has successfully struck balance in its content, format, narrative, and objectives, presenting a premier cultural product that bridges the past and present, addresses the future, and contributes towards ensuring sustainability of knowledge, culture, and related industries.”

For his part, Saeed Hamdan Al Tunaiji presented highlights of the cultural events and knowledge activities planned for this year’s Fair. “The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair has become a staple on the cultural and creative calendar, awaited by all members of community, as well as a meeting point for creators from around the world looking to showcase their works and make their mark on the cultural scene,” he said. “In preparation for this year’s edition, we are gearing up to host 1,350 publishers from 90 countries, including 145 publishers participating in the Fair for the first time.”

“This year’s Fair will present a diverse cultural programme that includes sessions, seminars, and cultural and knowledge dialogues featuring a selection of authors, thinkers, and creatives from various fields,” Al Tunaiji added. “Moreover, Egypt will participate with a full schedule of events reflecting its cultural and intellectual role, alongside activities and programmes dedicated to the Focus Personality. Meanwhile, all participating countries will have their own showcases at their respective pavilions. The event presents the audience with cultural, professional, and creative arts programmes, as well as activities for children and youth, exhibitors, and partners, among other carefully curated events.”

The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2024 will be welcoming 12 countries participating for the first time, namely, Greece, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Pakistan, Cyprus, Mozambique, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Brazil.

The event offers the audience a diverse set of activities and cultural events, and this year’s edition will see a comprehensive digital payment system implemented for the first time in the Fair’s history. On another note, China will participate significantly this year with nine pavilions, making it the country’s largest presence at any book fair in the world.

The official Chinese delegation will include 70 guests representing 80 Chinese publishing houses. The Chinese pavilion will offer 15 cultural, professional, and artistic events. Meanwhile, India will be participating with 23 publishing houses, along with a diverse cultural programme and activities focusing on various Indian dishes and cultures.

The exhibition this year hosts the Arab Republic of Egypt as Guest of Honour to engage the audience with a rich and diverse cultural programme reflecting its intellectual, knowledge, and civilisational history. Egypt’s selection for the programme reaffirms the deep-seated and historic relationship between the two countries, underlining the ALC’s commitment to enhancing cultural and intellectual collaboration, building on Egypt’s role as a beacon of knowledge, culture, and art that has influenced the cultures and knowledge of the masses with creative content across various fields.

The ADIBF has chosen renowned Arab and international novelist Naguib Mahfouz as the Focus Personality of this year’s edition, in recognition of his great role and achievements that have long-drawn attention to Arab culture and Arabic novels. This year’s Fair celebrates the first Arab author to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, making an undeniable impact with his literary works, most notably the ‘Cairo Trilogy’ and ‘Children of Gebelawi’.

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